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
strawberrydaydream'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
4.75
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Suicide attempt, Body horror, and Self harm
Moderate: Violence and Xenophobia
_doze_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Grief, Gore, Mental illness, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Antisemitism, Self harm, Drug use, and Sexual content
Minor: Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual violence
tomas_lw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
That being said, this book is a great depiction of grief and loss, and it has some very well constructed parables about society and current events. It's a very cleverly constructed book and Ellis feels even more confident as a writer in this than the first one that was already a very strong debut.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Xenophobia, Self harm, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Gun violence, Suicide, and Islamophobia
Minor: Body horror, Addiction, Abandonment, and Alcohol
softanimal's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Antisemitism, Self harm, Grief, Islamophobia, Gun violence, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Violence, Suicide, Racial slurs, Mass/school shootings, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Racism, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Torture, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Deportation, Body horror, Drug use, Eating disorder, Genocide, and Xenophobia
lastcomment314's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Blood, Excrement, Genocide, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Death, Hate crime, Murder, Police brutality, and Violence
flameandlight'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
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Death
ritte_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
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
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