The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
saskiahill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Grief, and Sexism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Car accident, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Abortion and Alcoholism
uranaishi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexism, Car accident, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, Vomit, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Bullying, and Classism
Minor: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Animal death, Racism, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Abortion, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse
freul'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, Car accident, and Suicide
Moderate: Grief, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Bullying, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Medical content, Vomit, Abortion, Pregnancy, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, and Religious bigotry
queen_melliott's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
First of all, I have no idea why in the world anyone would describe this as comedy and compare it to Mrs Maisel when the holy story revolved around discrimination, prejudice, bullying, rape, suicide and death in general. It had zero funny moments.
The story felt so unrealistic for the time. Yes, there absolutely were women who were highly intelligent, who wanted to work, to be scientists or doctors, who didnât believe in God, who supported or at least accepted gay people, who didnât believe in marriage, who didnât want children, who were not warm and nurturing but more unemotional and matter-of-fact, and who had highly intelligent children whom they brought up with a more liberal mindset. Elizabeth, however, combined all of these traits and felt so incredibly unrealistic to me. The reason why I couldnât stand her was a different one, though. She always felt the need to fight, to be mean and make enemies wherever she went. She was so uncooperative and defensive, she didnât see when people were trying to help her and be good to her (Calvin, Mason, Avery). She felt downright hostile to me.
Talking about unrealistic, DONâT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON MAD AND THE DOG. Madeline is 5 YEARS OLD. Even for a gifted child, it just seemed ridiculous to me, the way she talked, speaking about taxes and faith having nothing to do with religion, get out of here.Â
And then the frigginâ dog. Learning English. Analyzing human behavior like a psychologist. Reading the clock. Speaking to dead and unborn people. Walking 9 miles by himself to visit Elizabeth at work. Picking up Mad from school. Having an inner monologue about the dissonance between people thinking theyâre so smart and voluntarily consuming carcinogens. Then of course he was trained in bomb detection, too. I swear the only thing that dog couldnât do was go rowing with Elizabeth.Â
Also, maybe three people would watch that cooking show. It would NOT be a hit in that time. Today, yes. Back then, hell no.Â
Needless to say, I skim-read most of the book because I hated it so much but still wanted to know where the story was going to go, what all the fuss was about.Â
Then came the point I would have DNFed this, hadnât I been in 76% already: Elizabeth, a SCIENTIST, someone who always stuck to the SCIENTIFIC FACTS, telling a woman on her show that it is OK TO EAT MEAT BECAUSE PLANTS ARE ALIVE, TOO, just like animals!!! LADY, PLANTS DO NOT HAVE A CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, THEREFORE, THEY DO NOT FEEL PAIN. Also, they do not feel emotions and have no families, they donât feel frightened before we dice them, they do not release stress hormones, they donât feel pain, they donât miss their family members when separated from them. EATING MEAT AND EATING PLANTS ABSOLUTELY DO NOT COMPARE. Meat is murder, full stop. So is dairy and eggs. Educate yourself, Bonnie Garmus. The only slightly redeeming part about this was that, later, Elizabeth teaches her audience that plants do in fact have protein. So at least, Bonnie Garmus knows nutritional facts, even if she has no clue about the anatomy of plants or ethical questions.Â
Lastly, the whole point of the story was to fight discrimination and be accepting of people no matter their sex or sexual orientation - with the exception of people who believe in God, of course, and all Christian churches in the world. They are pure evil! There is only a single good priest and that is the one who doesnât believe in God in the first place (Wakely). What a way to undermine the books whole point. Accept people for who they are, unless they have a different point of view or different beliefs from yours. Well done, Bonnie Garmus.
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Bullying
Moderate: Rape, Homophobia, Pregnancy, and Body shaming
Minor: Grief, Child death, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Death of parent, Abortion, and Car accident
bookwormess'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
3.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Abortion
wayfaring_witch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
âYour days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun,â - Marcus Aurelius
Content Warnings - There are some very heavy topics explored in this book (sometimes in surprisingly light ways).
Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, and Vomit
Minor: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Abortion, and Pregnancy
em815ily'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: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Rape, Abortion, Car accident, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting
bookerbride's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Graphic: Rape, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide, Grief, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Blood, Sexism, Death, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Racism, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Pedophilia and Abortion
teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Death
Minor: Abortion and Suicide
vixenreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Car accident, Grief, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Death, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Medical content, Mental illness, Police brutality, Abandonment, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Homophobia, and Cursing
Minor: Classism, Vomit, Infidelity, and Abortion
Be aware that there is discussions of marriage outside of wedlock, doubt in religion, bomb threats, and abuse of power in science, education, religious institutions, and television.