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
brogancha'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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
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
emmie2468'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
4.75
Graphic: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, and Death
maxine_t96's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, and Drug abuse
carlyjoann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
lesliesorensen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Alcohol
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion, Infidelity, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
nindie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Dysphoria, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Cursing
Moderate: Abortion, Grief, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Chronic illness, War, Vomit, and Car accident
tania_mybookishsecret'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
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and Addiction
Moderate: Infidelity and Eating disorder
Minor: Abortion, Death, Chronic illness, and Adult/minor relationship
marlene_suntie_helton'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
3.75
I did not rate it higher as this type of realism genre is not my go-to genre. I prefer more plot-driven novel. However, I can recognise and appreciate the comfort and elements of this type of genre provide. It is a great story overall.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Pregnancy, Abortion, Fatphobia, and Adult/minor relationship