caughtbetweenpages's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
this book made me furious in the most beautiful way. Not because I thought the book was "bad" by any means--I think it's excellent--but because the characters Reid created were so true to life that it was difficult to stomach a lot of the time. Emira being in a position in her life where she feels adrift and a little aimless, like she's fallen behind her peer group but doesn't have a plan or focus for how to catch up, is Very Real and I think will hit mid-twenties readers directly in the stomach (I know it did for me). I loved the chapters where we followed her closely. She didn't make "perfect" decisions and she had moments where she was petty or angry or just... young, and that was so refreshing. I loved her relationship with her friends and how clearly they all love each other, and her mutual adoration of Briar warmed my cold heart. In stark contrast were the Alix chapters and the Kelley scenes. It was so uncomfortable to watch these two people microagress a woman they both claim to love with White Savior bullshit and turn her into the rope they're playing tug of war with, and ultimately end up hurting her worst in their attempts to get at each other. And they all thought they were the moral victors of this thing! God, it was so good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Misogyny
Moderate: Misogyny and Racial slurs
dannythestreet's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Simply perfect
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Misogyny, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Cursing, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
pointlessmoss's review against another edition
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
5.0
The lesson I learned from this: white people need to stop meddling!! And they should also stop trying to outdo one another in an imaginary competition of "Who is the least racist" (unless it's for my personal amusement).
For real though, I LOVE the writing and the story and the characters. I feel like I was reading about real people, not made-up fictional characters. Emira has my heart. I enjoyed myself the whole time and I felt so satisfied with how everything came together. So glad I picked this book up :)
Part of me wants to recommend this to everyone I know, but the other part of me knows not everyone will get invested in a slice-of-life story with this type of writing. I also want to hear what other people took away from this book! I'm curious to see what other interpretations of the story might be, and what I may have missed!
For real though, I LOVE the writing and the story and the characters. I feel like I was reading about real people, not made-up fictional characters. Emira has my heart. I enjoyed myself the whole time and I felt so satisfied with how everything came together. So glad I picked this book up :)
Part of me wants to recommend this to everyone I know, but the other part of me knows not everyone will get invested in a slice-of-life story with this type of writing. I also want to hear what other people took away from this book! I'm curious to see what other interpretations of the story might be, and what I may have missed!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Cursing, and Racism
Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Animal death, Bullying, Police brutality, Fatphobia, and Stalking
hannahbailey's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed the plot, characters and setting. It was a really thought-provoking and nuanced read. I loved the focus on this one moment in all the characters' lives that changed things forever - but in other ways changed nothing at all. It was an interesting look into how we perceive events and interact with others, and how white people can change or influence the narrative with their own bias, prejudice and systemic power.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, Hate crime, and Gaslighting
megannoelle's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Racism
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