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bootsmom3'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: Confinement, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Outing, and Alcohol
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, and Pregnancy
anh_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Confinement and Infidelity
Minor: Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Violence
bookedbymadeline'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
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Violence, and Outing
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Gaslighting
Minor: Infertility and Lesbophobia
cat_astrophe12'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? No
4.75
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content
Minor: Death, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
hannahbailey'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
3.0
A well written book -- the setting was particularly well crafted. I could really sense the tense and unforgiving atmosphere both of the time and in between the characters. I hope that the author made these characters deliberately unlikeable, if so, then its excellent storytelling. I'm still unsure whether this novel is a product of its time (2012 :/) or a novel ahead of its time in that it leaves you feeling conflicted. That probably doesn't make sense unless you've read the book, but Marion's actions were unexpected and pretty shocking. I didn't really sympathise her, although I felt like the narrative was perhaps asking readers to, which is why I'm unsure of the author's intent here!
This is a very sad and depressing book, do not pick this up if you're looking to read about queer joy -- you won't find it here!
Graphic: Confinement, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Outing
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book tells the story of Marion, Tom, & Patrick. Tom is a young police officer that Patrick and Marion are both in love with - she as his wife, and he, as his lover in a time where it was illegal to be gay in the UK. The tale unravels from Marion and Patrick's perspectives in dual timelines and as the reader you come to see that no one in this book is an innocent - they each have their pain and they each inflict pain on each other in different ways, and it's often extremely sad to read, but the humanity and messiness of these characters are what made this book so readable and engaging to me, so that was the main thing I liked about it. The writing, too, I thought was gorgeous.
Some issues I had - I don't mind an age gap in a relationship as long as it's ethical as well as legal. Tom and Patrick's age gap itself didn't bother me, but I often felt a little grossed out by the way Patrick was always referencing Tom's youth, his boyishness. It felt....eeeehhh, weird. Didn't love that.
Other than that, I just have this feeling that there was something missing for me during this book. I can't figure out what it was exactly, and if I figure it out, I'll gladly post an update, but whatever it was, it left me feeling that I couldn't give this above a 3 even though I did enjoy it for the most part.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Racism and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicide, Transphobia, Vomit, and Death of parent
mallory10100'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pregnancy, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Dementia, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and War
can’t wait for the movie to come out!!sib_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Outing, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol