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cdt96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
xcharlotteliz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Classism
Minor: Eating disorder
lisa_m's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a pretty intense read but it completely captivated me. I started reading at 9pm and read until 3am because I just couldn't stop. And then I woke up and continued reading until I got so hungry I had to get out of bed.
This book really gave me all of the emotions. I was happy (though not a lot), I was really really angry, I was super sad (and cried). All in all, the characters are super flawed but also so amazing to read about.
All the twists and turns where so unexpected and even in the last few pages EVERYTHING changes! I was crying because I was so sad for Oliver, and then after reading the last sentence I just didn't know what to think anymore. I pretty much thought about this book for the rest of the day after reading it, and I'm sure that it's going to stick with me for quite a while.
I had a few theories about what happened and they turned out to be true (which amazes me because I usually never figure stuff like that out) but it didn't lessen my enjoyement at all.
I read this book as an ebook and I definitely need to get a physical copy! I had the urge to annotate so incredibly often! And I really feel like it would still be an amazing experience rereading it. And then I can annotate everything! :D
So basically, read this book! I don't know what else to say. I thought it was amazing and so incredibly well done and well written. Especially if you like Shakespear and/or like acting (which is both true for me) READ THIS BOOK! (Oh and also maybe read the trigger warnings - especially domestic abuse / toxic relationships)
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lidia138's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
manonh90's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Eating disorder, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicide
tinyjude's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Pretentious, dramatic and passionate theatre kids who bring to life shakespearean plays both in ans offstage, are a tangled mess of emotions and riddles while also being quite flat characters. I liked the writing, it was fitting for the theme and atmosphere. I loved some passages and use of the plays throughout the story to obscure and bring light to the characters' feelings. I enjoyed the drama and the story. I had my doubts about dark academia books but this one made it for me and now I know I yearn for more books with theatre actors as protagonists being unhinged and frustrating. I also liked the references to some motifs in Shakespeare's plays (ghosts, lies, blood, guilt, madness). As a Shakespeare enthusiastic, especially his tragedies and villains, I am content.
The parts that mostly bother me are for example, what exactly did send Alexander spiraling into overdose? Was it the guilt in all cases? Did Richard haunt them so bad as a ghost like in Macbeth? Did Wren knew all along it was James? I needed to see them descend into madness more.
At some point I truly thought I was being lied by the internet and my own biased analysis, which always searches for some homoerotic subtext, because HELL the moments between Oliver and James were sparse. Those weren't even crumbs, I was holding the ship with a thread and both eyes closed, going by instinct. So yeah, the slow-burn was way too much, as it didn't deliver the relief you would expect after so many "heteronormative looking" scenes (idk how to describe it bc the book had me doubting my bisexual suspicions and then rooting for a poly relationship between Oliver Meredith and James). (What do you mean a botherly kiss that is not quite brotherly? but yeah, only one brief kiss, nothing else, no more scenes between them that hint at their feelings before or after halloween. I am not even asking for a love confession or any grand gesture, but more subtle scenes between them, more tension... idk i went insane, i am in pain but i also apprecite how complicated their relationship is, as they were best friends, brothers, partners in crime, lovers, enemies...). Or more about the internal turmoil they had going on realizing they are queer, which we barely got because they didn't want to think about it... I wanted to see how they come to terms with their sexuality, the guilt and love they felt (this specially)!!!
I probably forget many things I want to say but frankly I have been reading 3h non-stop and cried at the ending, so cut me some slack.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
mblanke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Gore, Homophobia, and Classism
clarathromycin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Classism
ladybergart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
recycled_personalities's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism