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wardenred'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
5.0
You’re a kid. Be lost. Ask questions. Be safe but stupid. Listen.
This is such a difficult book to review, even though I loved it to bits. It feels more like an experience or a mood than a story even though it most definitely has a plot, and character arcs, and all the other things that make a sequence of events and feelings book-shaped. Somehow, it reminded me a lot of when I was the characters' age, even though I faced completely different emotions, struggles, and situations. I can't say I was ever like Violet, or Liv, or any of the characters, but I still got caught remembering how I was just as confused and struggling to make sense of life and trying to shuffle through versions of myself to find one that didn't suck.
This is a story of families, and grief, and how it's not only the dead you can grieve for; of making sense of mental illness in the family and in your head; of learning to build connections; of letting go; of being a mess; of getting out of the mess you've made; of looking into the past to find the future; of shipwreck-hunting; of diving too deep and finding a way out. It's written in beautiful, beautiful prose, it contains some of the most hauntingly, viivdly engrossing snapshots of being by the sea I've encountered in literature since Ruthanna Emrys's Winter Tide, and a love triangle that actually makes sense.
It feels like being on the cusp of growing up: bittersweet and confusing and painful, and also full of wonder you don't immediately recognize. I wish I had books like this when I was that age.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Grief
Moderate: Suicide attempt
kyrstin_p1989'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
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
ixris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
ashliebysmashliereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was interesting. I found the main character pretty insufferable, but also the portrayal of anxiety attacks incredibly realistic. It was interesting to be inside the brain of an asshole teen girl who is the "okay" sibling in a set of kids when compared to a brother with depression, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation.
Every time I started to really enjoy it, Violet would do something or say something obnoxious again. Idk. It was worth it. I won't reread
Moderate: Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Alcohol
meaghancook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Vomit
julietthague'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
this book. where do i even begin. it broke my heart and healed them in all the right places because it resonated with me so much. the writing was so simple yet beautifully poetic, i feel like i annotated and underlined every third sentence.
everything about this was perfect.
the family history, the incredible friendship dynamics, the complicated yet intricate, slow and beautiful development of a wlw relationship, the trauma, the sibling bond, the oldest daughter guilt, the healing, the pain.
this book has such a special place in my heart from now on!
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
sailinginthetea'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
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
lilifane'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
4.0
A small coastal town, family history, mystery and adventure, a treasure hunt, sibling dynamics, a friends group, LGBTQIA representation. And I really really enjoyed the majority o the book. The main character went through some hard hitting things and made some questionable decisions, but I still enjoyed reading from her perspective.
I was disappointed by the last quarter of the book, though. The plot didn't really progress, and then it was suddenly over, but the ending took half an eternity to conclude. Weird pacing and I get the focus was on some important topics, but still, the rest was just forgotten somehow.
But yeah, still liked and enjoyed the majority and the atmosphere was perfect for a summer read.
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
mads1706's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt
mariah_poulin's review against another edition
3.0
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt