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viceloki's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
jndcv'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
4.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, and War
Minor: Eating disorder, Suicide, Vomit, and Car accident
ashcook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Outing
shadereads'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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Physical abuse, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Murder and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Eating disorder and Suicide
juliapeculiar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Personally I just don't vibe with dark academia that much, which I kind of knew going into this book. The constant talking of Shakespeare annoyed me and didn't resonate with me at all ESPECIALLY the detailed descriptions of the characters on stage.
Also I felt like the characters were extremely one-dimensional, a big problem I had with Meredith. Why do we have to read lines and lines about her sex-appeal and how no one can resist her, this is literally all there is to her. The author chose to write her like that and fail to see any reason for it.
Also
What the book did well is having just enough tension from the start to make you want to find out what happend - so I was quite entertained, but sadly the book just didn't stand out to me.
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
vidotson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, and Alcohol
sealbrecht's review
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Vomit
mikathereviewer's review against another edition
2.0
Personally, the touch of a play while reading was really cool. We get dialogue only, acts and more. The last play I read was really fun so seeing one now again makes me remember that I didn't read them in a while.
The acting was relatable as I am or rather was an actor myself. That's also the reason I wanted to read this book. Not 'cause of the Shakespeare and other historical stuff but the acting.
Some parts were actually crazy/interesting to read about as the book didn't really had the 'it was boring/too slow' problem.
Some examples:
Scene I Act IX was so crazy. Like it felt like real betrayal but also not. And what did James even imagine? What was that aaaah.
The II. Act was so sad. Especially scene II, I feel so bad for James.
I also think that Oliver has some character depth (Especially in the III. Act as we get to know his family)
The whole drama was the only reason I was still indulged into reading this. It kept me reading.
Since I didn't read the book for the historical stuff I got a bit irriated by the fact that Shakespeare got mentioned often. And with often I mean very often. I get it that's the theme/topic for Year 4 and our protagonists also play historical figures, but honestly it could have been mentioned a bit less and more story instead. It got too much that I, at some point, skipped the Shakespeare parts.
Also the book isn't very original if over 50% of it is just Shakespeare.
Never have I ever as an actor reinterpreted/recited my lines as first of all no one would understand, except me and secondly that's usually a thing poets do and not actors. The kids in this story did this and it made me feel weird. Just use your official lines and learn them properly.
The characters were so weird sometimes and before someone tells me: Some theatre kids are actually weird. Yes SOME and that's no excuse to include only weird characters.
We never got an explanation why Richard was so mad at some point. Never. Why was he? That apparently didn't happen the years before so that must have triggered something, but we never get any explanation. The other character also have no depth and they all fell flat (except Oliver, as mentioned above)
Meredith was such a useless character who was only depictured as a wh0re the whole time.
They did use for real, without jokes, as sexual orientation 'sexually amphibious'
The ending was so predictable. It was right the person you would feel suspicious at first. The ending is nothing shocking.
31. July 2024
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and Alcohol
hdkroon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content and Suicide
catnapping's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Eating disorder and Vomit