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happilywilted'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
1.5
The only characters I didn't dislike were Donal, Leslie, and Darrin, the guy that Renee dates at the end.
I spent the whole book wondering if the author was for or against grooming and sexual abuse, as she writes the perspective of both supporters and people against the two main characters being together, but at the end of the book on the authors note she talks about how making them not platonic was the only option and tries to justify it in some way.
Every page made me deeply uncomfortable in a way that I haven't felt since I read Lolita in 2019, which isn't surprising, because the author recommends Lolita as saying it is similar. Horrid.
I hated Kellen so much, as he was a groomer and child molester. I could’ve done without reading the descriptions of his smell, his sweat, and the graphic sexual descriptions of him, an adult, touching Wavy. I had bought this book back in October after it had somehow gotten in to my TBR pile on Goodreads, and I bought it having read no spoilers, just seeing that it was a "beautiful and provocative love story". Well, it was provocative, but it wasn't anywhere close to beautiful or a love story. It was a story about a groomer who sexually assaults a child and makes her think that the relationship they had was a family and safe. But really, he was a creeper.
I despised reading Amy saying that Wavy wanted him to touch her, as if that excuses what he did to her at thirteen. Also, the judge taking back the protective order because Wavy said she was a "real person". As if being real excuses a pedophile and allows him to contact his victim.
I mean, they met when she was eight. When they first met, he was described as a giant and I was confused because I assumed this was the guy in the love story, and wondered how a child could be giant, when much to my chagrin I found out he was around twenty years old. I wish the age gap could've been at least just four years if she wanted him to be arrested for what he did to further the plot.
I almost DNF'd, but since I owned the book, I wanted to give it a chance, but every page of people ignoring the grooming and allowing it to continue pissed me off and made me almost throw the book across the room. Also, mama didn't raise no quitter.
Thankfully, now I'm done, and can attempt to scrub my brain clean of this frustrating and uncomfortable read.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, and Murder
hailsatan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
avnieznay'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Pedophilia
kelseygrachek'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: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
Minor: Gun violence, Grief, and Car accident
nikmat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
mtehan7'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Gun violence, Blood, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
pain_org's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Like I said, this book had no meaning behind it, and I’m not someone who wants to read this type of book with rose tinted glasses on like so many other readers did. This book was easy to read in black and white because that’s how it was told.
Also, “love knows no boundaries” on the back of the book is disgusting. Boundaries can definitely be set for “love”, especially when it’s an 8 year old and a 24 year old falling “in love.” That’s just not okay. Read “My Dark Vanessa” instead if you don’t want to read about pedophilia being romanticized.
Two stars because the writing and story telling was good. Three stars subtracted because this book was vile and uncomfortable and just felt like the author was grossly sexualizing an actual child.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
macysagemckee'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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Death of parent
ashrl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
ktdakotareads'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, and Mass/school shootings