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mbrogs2024'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
3.5
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, and Pedophilia
emmahdonnelly'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
5.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, and Medical trauma
Minor: Car accident
ju_harue'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: Abortion
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
gvstyris'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
The way to turn an ex-lover into a friend is to never stop loving them, to know that when one phase of a relationship ends it can transform into something else. It is to acknowledge that love is both a constant and a variable at the same time.
Man. Such an engaging read, and Zevin plays with literary techniques quite creatively, particularly in the novel's last few sections. Marx's character was truly such a highlight (although his name choice is...questionable?), especially as Sadie/Sam grew increasingly unlikeable and cold.
Zevin's consideration of platonic and romantic love here is also so, so validating.
I do have a lot of research to do about this novel's various plagiarism & Zionism controversies, however...
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Antisemitism and Abortion
bbmaan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
jzargo_thebird'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: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
samglade'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
2.75
While I enjoyed the nuanced characters and their relationships, my enjoyment of the book was spoiled by some of the choices the author has made. The author decided on a style heavy on clinical, excessive details (e.g. a list of video game merchandise on a shelf having over 20 items, comma-separated), which betrayed that she is not a tech person and the incorrect usage of technical terms was jarring. More importantly, it felt like she was ticking off all the dark themes she could think of from the list of possible content warnings, all packed into the lives of three individuals. For shock value? I can't tell why it was needed. Given how the story was progressing, I was genuinely surprised that miscarriage wasn't used as a cherry on top.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Abortion, and Cultural appropriation
seubecca'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
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder, Racial slurs, and Abortion
hanbroloo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism and Drug use
mellowkittenreads'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Grief
Minor: Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship