colerate'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, Misogyny, Car accident, Racial slurs, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Racism, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
maxel268'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
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Infidelity, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Murder
Minor: Eating disorder, Bullying, Classism, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Cancer, Cursing, and Drug use
woodsymel'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: Murder, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Medical content, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Vomit, Homophobia, Abortion, Cancer, Racial slurs, Racism, and Emotional abuse
abbywittle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book started out so strong and sounded like something I would really enjoy. A loving friend relationship spanning over decades encompassed by the passion for video games, something that sounds right up my alley due to my love of Ready Player One, but alas, this only got worse the more I read. And considering I audiobooked this, it made it so much worse to get through.
I think my reading experience for this was hindered significantly because personally, I found the audiobook for this exceptionally boring. Also can someone explain why Part VII was done with a different voice actor and all the sudden was in first person? I hated that switch, the voice actor switch was a creative choice sure, but do NOT switch to first person when I'm 75% done with a third person novel, I beg of you.
Anyway, I can see the appeal of why people love this. I watched Gabrielle Zevin's spot on the Jimmy Fallon show and I can see the vision she had and her explanation is sound, but personally, both Sadie and Sam became insufferable to me due to their inability to talk to each other even though the whole conceit of the story is that they both love each other unequivocally?? Make it make sense. Anyway, clearly I'm in the minority on this one but I'm okay with that.
Graphic: Gun violence, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Racism
ymziegler'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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Death, Death of parent, and Car accident
Moderate: Antisemitism, Racism, Sexism, Misogyny, Abortion, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit and Infidelity
bklassen'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
2.5
Spoiler
It starts off well with these two kids bonding over video games. His foot was destroyed in a car accident and she was visiting her sister with cancer, and they bond as two friends never have before. But then the “secret” of Sadie using their friendship for community service (or at least that’s how it started – she was a little opportunistic, but then she actually became best friends with Sam) comes out and he won’t talk to her for years because he’s hurt.Spoiler
Parent and grandparent death, suicide, abortion, unplanned pregnancy, estranged fathers, racism, abusive relationships where the two people STAY FRIENDS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, a love triangle, a shooting/death of a partner, amputation/medical trauma, depression, and more.Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Minor: Abortion
elliedesatge'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Death, Cancer, Antisemitism, Abortion, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Gun violence, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, and Hate crime
jasminejjj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Spoiler
I am a huge fan of the chapters written from a video game perspectiveGraphic: Sexual violence, Racism, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Terminal illness
menglert's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Definitely check out the content warnings before reading this one because some of them came out of left field. I'm usually a horror/thriller reader, but there were a few scenes that were so jarringly dropped into this story that I got uncomfortable.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Death, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Car accident
Moderate: Gaslighting, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Confinement, Infidelity, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Grief, Sexism, and Suicide
Minor: Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, Abortion, and Bullying
readingbrb's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Suicide and Gun violence
Moderate: Car accident, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Homophobia and Racism