Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Aesthetica by Allie Rowbottom

3 reviews

stellahadz's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Aesthetica is both futuristic and deeply rooted in the present, which sounds contradictory but isn't really, given how quickly the landscape of social media changes and how trends, from clothing to makeup to body parts, seem to cycle every week. The book's premise is fascinating, and Rowbottom's prose is excellent. I'm usually wary of books that heavily reference social media or internet slang, because it immediately dates the text and runs the risk of making it obsolete within a few years. However, I think Aesthetica works because its themes (#MeToo, the dangers of social media fame, plastic surgery, and generational differences in approaches to feminism) are very timely, and the use of emojis, @ symbols, and slang actually drive the story rather than making it "cringe" as the kids say. I wonder how many articles, memoirs, and tell-all pieces we'll see in the next 10-15 years from people like the main character, Anna.

It took me some time to get into the story, and I wish the ending had provided a little more closure, but it was fantastically written and I loved how it explored important and relevant themes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Medical content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Car accident

lowbrowhighart's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Fatphobia, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility and Car accident

jennastopreading's review

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail