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eggfartz'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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Classism
greeeer_e_rutt'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury
anna_pearl's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Drug use
writewithapendragon'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? No
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
silent_mortem'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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Grief, and Murder
amyherman'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit
ashleyyy27'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: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Abandonment, and Classism
bookdrunkard78'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
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
oceanbluetay'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: Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcohol
hmwoodward's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book shows you a side of police brutality that we don't get to see - how those who are left behind process and respond to it. Star grapples with her responsibility to her murdered friend and the risk of speaking about it to the public. You watch as life goes back to "normal" as you follow Star to school and with her family. Though the death is no longer the only focus, it is a grief that weighs on Star and the community, on top of all the other trauma they experience in the form of poverty or drugs or gang activity, etc. The world stops at the news of a death at the hands of the police AND at the trial AND at the decision, but they're gone when the news cycle ends again.
Through the course of the book, you get to know and love (most of) the characters, despite their many flaws. You get to understand why people in challenging situations pick what appears to be a wrong choice since the odds are stacked and no choice is a good one sometimes. You watch as the people around Star grow and hear the stories of others who grew in their challenging environment.
I listened to this on audiobook and appreciated the narrator because it felt like I was in Star's head. The narrator brought these powerful and emotional moments to life so vividly.
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Blood
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol