The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
kanonkita'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
That being said, maybe avoid the audiobook unless you really enjoy listening to tremulous female voices shouting "No no no" over and over again ever few minutes. The computerized sound effect that was put over the Amygdalans' voices in the audiobook could also be grating at times and made it difficult to hear them if there was any background noise while I was listening.
Overall, I would recommend it, but do pay attention to the content warning Ellis provides at the beginning of the novel.Â
Also, a note that I have not seen this book listed as LGBTQ+ in many places, which I can only chalk up to bi erasure. Cora is bisexual, and it seems unfair that this gets overlooked just because she has a heterosexual romance, especially given that it occurs alongside her very queer relationship with an alien who only uses he/him pronouns out of convenience.
Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Antisemitism, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gun violence, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Gore, Suicide attempt, Islamophobia, Addiction, Death, Blood, Xenophobia, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
seullywillikers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Gore, Islamophobia, Confinement, Deportation, Racism, and Addiction
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Infertility, and Eating disorder
chaoticnostalgia'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicide, and Gore
Minor: Blood and Confinement
jjreads331's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Xenophobia, Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Violence, Suicide attempt, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Antisemitism, Colonisation, Hate crime, Medical content, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Eating disorder, Confinement, and Gun violence
kharlan3's review against another edition
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Confinement, Blood, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Alcoholism
Minor: Alcohol
wrzlprmft'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
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Blood, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Sexual content, Suicide, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Infertility, Torture, War, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Confinement, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, and Police brutality
banrions'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book took a slightly different turn partway through and added a secondary POV that at first, I was annoyed by, and then INFURIATED BY because I just wanted to get into cora’s head again, and then, I ended up really thinking it was a smart narrative decision, and THEN the final passage of the book nailed me flat and I think that I will be thinking about it for a while.Â
(This is not going to be a very coherent review, as if mine ever really are lol. That’s not what I do here, I just vent some emotions about the book into a void).Â
I think I’ll be thinking about a LOT of this book for a while.
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
sugarpal'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia