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livbarry's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
fast-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? Yes
4.25
This book is so, so smart in such a subtle way. I thoroughly loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Infidelity and Misogyny
Minor: Miscarriage, Trafficking, and Pregnancy
chandranolynne's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism
itsmattyfingsmokes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sue me! i love this story! i begrudgingly watched the show last year bc my friend forced me to and god DAMN i still think about it every day. i was worried that the book wouldn't be as good but hello!! of course it was!! it's liane FUCKING moriarty! not that i've read any of her other books but still.... i will be devouring them after this you best believe.
the characters!! ohhhhh the characters. all so complex and interesting in their own hidden and explicit ways.
madeline! what a fucking bitch, i want her to be my best friend right now. i think we all know someone like her, someone who is so loudly confident and themselves that even when you hate her guts you would do anything to be her friend. her residual feelings over her ex-husband, even though they separated 10 years ago. her desperate love for her daughter who is seeming to choose him and his new wife over her. her struggles with suppressing who she is to try to win back her love. i loved ed in the show and i loved him in the book. and abigail, oh GOD abigail. girl. i do think this plotline could have been a bit more fleshed out, but what an interesting and horrifying and quintessentially teenage idea to have.
celeste. the beautiful rich girl who is conflicted with feelings of guilt and the idea that she is not grateful enough for all of the privileges she has. the complex feelings of beating yourself up for being unhappy because so many people have it so much harder. i felt this. certainly not to the degree that she did, but i am a white girl whose parents are paying for my expensive ass education. i am so so fucking grateful. but i also feel so guilty, because so many people have so little while i have been given so much. you really see how all her unhappiness and shame for these feelings are eating her tf up when she gives $25,000 to charity in one afternoon. what a scene. i think her relationship with her husband was done SLIGHTLY better in the show, just because we also got to see how it affected her afterwards as well.
and jane. poor sweet jane. so young and yet so so burdened. the book dove more into the effects her experience had on her body image, which i thought was interesting. her son's struggles with wanting so badly to know who his father was, and her confliction with being as honest with him as possible while protecting him from the knowledge that his father was an evil man was so hard to read about. her fears of his father passing on scary traits was heartbreaking.
i feel like we all know someone like bonnie as well. god, they're so fucking nice. and GOD, they do yoga every morning. similar to madeline, you hate them because you envy them.
and renata. while she is painted as a bit of a villian for most of this, i honestly really liked her character. she's fiercely protective and loudly passionate. sometimes her actions are rash or uncalled for, but at the end of the day i want her on my side.
because at the end of the day, this is a book about how often women's minds will do backflips to convince themselves that they deserve the treatment they receive. the insane rationalizations, the self-criticism, the internal subconcious acceptance of criticism from others. fuck that!!!
also, i love how this was told. the lead up, the little interviews from side characters, the mystery, all the different storylines coming together at the end. I LOVE IT
whoever did the casting for the show really outdid themselves!! zoe kravitz KILLED IT as bonnie. i cannot imagine anyone else. reese witherspoon as madeline! shailene woodley as jane! nicole kidman as celeste! laura dern as renata! *snaps*
parts of tv show i liked better:
- i liked the ending a littttttle bit better. because i dont particularly care for any of the husbands. they dont need to be involved here. this is a girls group.
- celeste and perry's relationship
- everything with renata and her husbands financial issues! i loved seeing that unfold in the show, i was upset that it wasnt og
parts of the book i liked better:
- the description of the cocktail party. WHAT a ride
- ed and madeline's relationship. i was so glad she wasnt fucking the play director
- jane's feelings towards "saxon banks"; she wasn't trying to kill him, she was just trying to deal with it
- bonnie's character and how her experiences led her to that conclusion
i am so excited to read everything else liane moriarty ever writes <3
the characters!! ohhhhh the characters. all so complex and interesting in their own hidden and explicit ways.
madeline! what a fucking bitch, i want her to be my best friend right now. i think we all know someone like her, someone who is so loudly confident and themselves that even when you hate her guts you would do anything to be her friend. her residual feelings over her ex-husband, even though they separated 10 years ago. her desperate love for her daughter who is seeming to choose him and his new wife over her. her struggles with suppressing who she is to try to win back her love. i loved ed in the show and i loved him in the book. and abigail, oh GOD abigail. girl. i do think this plotline could have been a bit more fleshed out, but what an interesting and horrifying and quintessentially teenage idea to have.
celeste. the beautiful rich girl who is conflicted with feelings of guilt and the idea that she is not grateful enough for all of the privileges she has. the complex feelings of beating yourself up for being unhappy because so many people have it so much harder. i felt this. certainly not to the degree that she did, but i am a white girl whose parents are paying for my expensive ass education. i am so so fucking grateful. but i also feel so guilty, because so many people have so little while i have been given so much. you really see how all her unhappiness and shame for these feelings are eating her tf up when she gives $25,000 to charity in one afternoon. what a scene. i think her relationship with her husband was done SLIGHTLY better in the show, just because we also got to see how it affected her afterwards as well.
and jane. poor sweet jane. so young and yet so so burdened. the book dove more into the effects her experience had on her body image, which i thought was interesting. her son's struggles with wanting so badly to know who his father was, and her confliction with being as honest with him as possible while protecting him from the knowledge that his father was an evil man was so hard to read about. her fears of his father passing on scary traits was heartbreaking.
i feel like we all know someone like bonnie as well. god, they're so fucking nice. and GOD, they do yoga every morning. similar to madeline, you hate them because you envy them.
and renata. while she is painted as a bit of a villian for most of this, i honestly really liked her character. she's fiercely protective and loudly passionate. sometimes her actions are rash or uncalled for, but at the end of the day i want her on my side.
because at the end of the day, this is a book about how often women's minds will do backflips to convince themselves that they deserve the treatment they receive. the insane rationalizations, the self-criticism, the internal subconcious acceptance of criticism from others. fuck that!!!
also, i love how this was told. the lead up, the little interviews from side characters, the mystery, all the different storylines coming together at the end. I LOVE IT
whoever did the casting for the show really outdid themselves!! zoe kravitz KILLED IT as bonnie. i cannot imagine anyone else. reese witherspoon as madeline! shailene woodley as jane! nicole kidman as celeste! laura dern as renata! *snaps*
parts of tv show i liked better:
- i liked the ending a littttttle bit better. because i dont particularly care for any of the husbands. they dont need to be involved here. this is a girls group.
- celeste and perry's relationship
- everything with renata and her husbands financial issues! i loved seeing that unfold in the show, i was upset that it wasnt og
parts of the book i liked better:
- the description of the cocktail party. WHAT a ride
- ed and madeline's relationship. i was so glad she wasnt fucking the play director
- jane's feelings towards "saxon banks"; she wasn't trying to kill him, she was just trying to deal with it
- bonnie's character and how her experiences led her to that conclusion
i am so excited to read everything else liane moriarty ever writes <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Rape
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Gaslighting
pavedwithbookss's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Misogyny and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage and Slavery
julialeblancxx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Trafficking
sarah984's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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
This book was just okay for me. The beginning dragged on for way too long with boring "mommy wars" stuff and annoying characters, but it did build to a thrilling pitch as the story approached a fateful night where the reader already knows something will happen... And then immediately starts dragging again after the event occurs. I think the message about domestic violence is important but this book just didn't grab me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, and Pregnancy