touchmyrobe8's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Pregnancy, Abortion, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
bookcaptivated'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Grief, and Self harm
scmiller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Enjoyed the narrative technique of the novel — characters recounting events in an interview, engaging in dialogue with the interviewer.
I was impressed with how Jenkins Reid’s wrote her characters’ dialogue so conversationally. It was convincing and effortless.
I liked the stark discrepancies and contradictions between characters when recounting events. They were all unreliable in that way and I like how the story leaves the truth unclear.
I have a love/hate relationship with novels that are about music. It’s the same dissatisfaction I feel when watching cooking shows. You can describe it and show it to me all you want but it’s not in my mouth.
I consumed this novel via audiobook and really loved that there was a full cast. It was like I was listening to a play on the radio. It was so emotive and artistically done. Arguably one of the best audiobook narrations I’ve heard.
I found the ending of the band sudden. We all knew it was coming but yet I still found the way it was written anticlimactic and incomplete somehow, and not in a satisfying literary way.
I found the attempt at actually writing the band’s hit song “Honeycomb” and playing it at the end of the audiobook embarrassing??? You can’t write a novel and paint a picture about how extraordinary and talented and huge this band was and then expose my ears to whatever that was and expect me to say, yes, people definitely would have gone crazy over this song. It was cringey.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Abandonment, Misogyny, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, War, and Grief
sapphicbookworm23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
TJR creates such an intense, captivating, serious-yet-light-hearted mood with her writing style. She really draws you right in, and the oral-history style formatting of this fictional novel was enjoyable to read. The characters are all so different and the varying perspectives of the same situations are a reminder of our own flawed humanity, unique individuality, and inner worlds.
This is a great read if you're looking for an escape into another world or a quick beach read. You'll be rooting for, disappointed in, and inspired by the characters- some of them evoking all of those emotions simultaneously.
Graphic: Abortion, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny
maggiemaryamos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Self harm, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
quinn24's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, Cursing, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Vomit
Minor: Death, Blood, and Chronic illness
tilde_c_s'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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism and Drug use
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy and Misogyny
jennabird06'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
Graphic: Sexism, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Addiction, Misogyny, and Infidelity
Moderate: Abortion
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Cancer
marxnapxrez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
At first i was a bit dissapointed as i was struggling to keep up with the book, I dont know if it is because I had a very hyped idea because of the tv series or because i have never read this interview-type of narrative. But it was being such a let down for me. But after the first half of the book, oh boy that was it.
I guess i grow fond of the characters plus Taylor character build and just her way of writing really came through. I wanted to keep on reading, such that i read the last half in two days having startes the book months ago.
At the end, is such a good book, where you can see a fictional world but so realistic that catches you and make you feel like a fan of the band reading a memoir. It gave me such a nostalgic feeling, like reading the biography of my favourite band and knowing them better. The end was heart wrenching even thought I already knew it.
< SPOILER >I love each of the characters (minus eddie couldn't care less about him), saying goodbye to teddy was hard but to Camila it was impossible. < SPOILER >
She's such a warm character that has a loving and motherly vibe, she was everyone supporter, the scene with Daisy was just...amazing. How she can express such love to make you feel you matter.
Taylor is a great writter with such strong power in her words, can't wait to keep expanding this world with the rest of her books.🤍
Graphic: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Infidelity
alisonfaith426's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Abortion, Drug use, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexism, Cursing, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Death and Chronic illness