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olabainbridge's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
It’s a very powerful message. What it talks through is a major problem in society that keeps going unnoticed and by reading it it sparks so much inside you. It’s a strong topic but definitely recommend.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, and Self harm
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence
r0bin_05's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Gun violence
jessicasophie's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Classism
Moderate: Gun violence and Alcohol
Minor: Eating disorder, Vomit, and Stalking
owls_rainbow's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.
Lycroft Phelps is an elite boarding school with very traditional values. "Turn a blind eye" and "boys will be boys" both ring true. Above all the boys rowing team rules the roost. They control the school and have created the Slycroft Club, a secret society with less than stellar ideals.
Charlotte is a dancer who is dating one of the rowers but she feels like Seb is holding back, and then she starts receiving mysterious notes about him. Max is a scholarship nerd, insecure about his height but then he's asked to join the rowing team as a cox. He enjoys it but all is soured once he learns the truth about Slycroft. Quinn, known as Q, is depressed and angry following a rape that can't be prosecuted. The three, along with some other friends, come together to start changing the "boys club" culture of Lycroft Phelps.
I really enjoyed the way this all came together and I liked the characters and how they developed and grew. I especially enjoyed Q's progression from alienating everyone to letting people in. I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed and it didn't seem like the situation of who was sending Charlotte the notes was properly resolved. Overall a great book that people should definitely read.
Lycroft Phelps is an elite boarding school with very traditional values. "Turn a blind eye" and "boys will be boys" both ring true. Above all the boys rowing team rules the roost. They control the school and have created the Slycroft Club, a secret society with less than stellar ideals.
Charlotte is a dancer who is dating one of the rowers but she feels like Seb is holding back, and then she starts receiving mysterious notes about him. Max is a scholarship nerd, insecure about his height but then he's asked to join the rowing team as a cox. He enjoys it but all is soured once he learns the truth about Slycroft. Quinn, known as Q, is depressed and angry following a rape that can't be prosecuted. The three, along with some other friends, come together to start changing the "boys club" culture of Lycroft Phelps.
I really enjoyed the way this all came together and I liked the characters and how they developed and grew. I especially enjoyed Q's progression from alienating everyone to letting people in. I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed and it didn't seem like the situation of who was sending Charlotte the notes was properly resolved. Overall a great book that people should definitely read.
Graphic: Rape
Minor: Self harm
kazofbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
So much promise…
This books is one that I would only recommend to someone who doesn’t mind a long and drawn out story. I have heard many times that the story and anything that happens should be walking (moving the plot) and not talking (just filling space) and this story is too much talking.
The story -
Q wants to go rogue and get revenge on Colin after he stole her innocence and herself from her.
Max wants to be popular and ask Alex out but he doesn’t feel that he is good enough.
Charlotte wants to keep her relationship with Seb and make the most out of being young choreographer.
The execution -
This book is nearly 500 pages and has 17 chapters. However every chapter swaps POV multiple times and has to much filler content that is is repetitive and boring. I would say that it would be easy to cut a good 4 or 5 chapters and about 150 pages of just filler content.
Max and Charlotte’s POV is redundant until the last 40% of the book and makes it very difficult to get through. As you spend so much time not with Q is it hard to sympathise with her until she really breaks down and shares her story with someone.
My thoughts -
I wanted to DNF this and honestly had to keep fighting myself to make it through because I felt that it was an important enough message that I had to.
I love how realistic Q is and how raw the emotions are but it just isn’t enough for me to bump my rating from 2.5 stars.
This books is one that I would only recommend to someone who doesn’t mind a long and drawn out story. I have heard many times that the story and anything that happens should be walking (moving the plot) and not talking (just filling space) and this story is too much talking.
The story -
Q wants to go rogue and get revenge on Colin after he stole her innocence and herself from her.
Max wants to be popular and ask Alex out but he doesn’t feel that he is good enough.
Charlotte wants to keep her relationship with Seb and make the most out of being young choreographer.
The execution -
This book is nearly 500 pages and has 17 chapters. However every chapter swaps POV multiple times and has to much filler content that is is repetitive and boring. I would say that it would be easy to cut a good 4 or 5 chapters and about 150 pages of just filler content.
Max and Charlotte’s POV is redundant until the last 40% of the book and makes it very difficult to get through. As you spend so much time not with Q is it hard to sympathise with her until she really breaks down and shares her story with someone.
My thoughts -
I wanted to DNF this and honestly had to keep fighting myself to make it through because I felt that it was an important enough message that I had to.
I love how realistic Q is and how raw the emotions are but it just isn’t enough for me to bump my rating from 2.5 stars.
Graphic: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
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