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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
radhi_inthelibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
I don't even know where to begin..... Except that I think EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT!! Trust me, your brain will thank you for it ๐คญ. The mental workout you get while theorizing who the culprit and victim will be, is like no other...you will be throwing out thoughts left and right until the very end. I promise, the mental workout ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ๐. In other words, a slow burn mystery ๐
.
However, there's more to it than the suburban soccer mom gossiping and bickering... You think you know the people around you, but actually, you don't...๐ (Check tw!! For me, personally, it was digestible - no graphic descriptions)
โ
Shout-out to my sis who recommended this and thank you again Olivia for reading with me ๐ฅฐโค๏ธ I'm now off to watch the show... Unfortunately none of the actors match the characters I had pictured ๐ฅฒ this is how you know it's going to go downhill ๐. P.s. I haven't watched it yet, just had a look at the actors. LOL.
However, there's more to it than the suburban soccer mom gossiping and bickering... You think you know the people around you, but actually, you don't...๐ (Check tw!! For me, personally, it was digestible - no graphic descriptions)
โ
Shout-out to my sis who recommended this and thank you again Olivia for reading with me ๐ฅฐโค๏ธ I'm now off to watch the show... Unfortunately none of the actors match the characters I had pictured ๐ฅฒ this is how you know it's going to go downhill ๐. P.s. I haven't watched it yet, just had a look at the actors. LOL.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
bendersreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault
Moderate: Eating disorder, Infidelity, and Gaslighting
Minor: Murder
sharlapeggy's review
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I enjoyed this book and the twists and turns kept my interest! I loved the fact that it was both a โwho-dunnitโ at the same time as a โyes but who diedโ?!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship
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