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jaimc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Forced institutionalization
stratospheric'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual harassment
lefthandlou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Also, even though the author is a woman, the depiction of Meredith in particular felt extremely misogynistic to me. All the women characters felt underdeveloped compared to the men, and the women only really exist to bolster the male drama. They rarely interact with each other, and when they do they treat each other badly. They are just unfleshed out tropes. And maybe that’s the point somehow, they each fill a typical Shakespearean female archetype, but if so it was very badly done. Wouldn’t pass the bechdel test, that’s for sure.
Station Eleven did what this was trying to do with Shakespeare much, much better.
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
augustrogue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Meredith: "Where did Alexander go?"
Me: "I don’t know."
Wren: "I'm worried about him."
...and then switches back just as abruptly, like it forgot it wasn't a screenplay for a second. Scenes that end abruptly for poetic/dramatic effect and then don't adequately explain what happened next. And I wanted a lot *more* of a relationship dynamic that was only lightly explored in the last 10% or so of the book.
The thing is, I actually *like* Shakespeare, quite a bit. The course I took on his plays was one of my favorites in university, and I still have a Complete Works anthology on my bookshelf. But I don't know, this book just made me roll my eyes a lot. At least the author acknowledges that the characters talking to each other in rapid-fire Shakespeare quotes about mundane things like they're ye olde Gilmore Girls (my own analogy, not hers) *is* super pretentious, in her ending notes. This book is for someone, maybe, but for the most part, it's not for me.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
jaduhluhdabooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I think this novel is crafty and intriguing and new in a rich way. I also think it showcases a side of classical education that many (usually rich white folx) fail to acknowledge. It also is just deviating to watch these characters grapple with their inner most struggles and insecurities and repeatedly make the choice to shield them rather than heal them.
The ending. Ouch. But I should’ve seen it coming. Romeo and Juliet, makes sense and then also… is the show still going on? If you know, you know.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia
vaguelyredhead'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Suicide
Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Vomit
aj9moon'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content
weirdassfanta'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
5.0
Ok, so I know people say this is a rip off the secret history, but I don’t care at this point. I’m also glad I read this before the secret history, so I can appreciate this book for what it is. I’ve been an emotional wreck every time I chose to pick up this book, and I fear I will be every time I think of it as well. I don’t think I can stand to hear criticism on this book and I wish I could rate it more than 5 stars. From the first page, I could tell it was going to be a book I devoured, and I ranted about it to my mom every time I put the book down. The tension between the characters had me in a choke hold, and I didn’t see the end coming.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Eating disorder
padawan17'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: Death, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
jasmine8's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Addiction and Suicide