scmiller's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Enjoyed the narrative technique of the novel — characters recounting events in an interview, engaging in dialogue with the interviewer.
I was impressed with how Jenkins Reid’s wrote her characters’ dialogue so conversationally. It was convincing and effortless.
I liked the stark discrepancies and contradictions between characters when recounting events. They were all unreliable in that way and I like how the story leaves the truth unclear.
I have a love/hate relationship with novels that are about music. It’s the same dissatisfaction I feel when watching cooking shows. You can describe it and show it to me all you want but it’s not in my mouth.
I consumed this novel via audiobook and really loved that there was a full cast. It was like I was listening to a play on the radio. It was so emotive and artistically done. Arguably one of the best audiobook narrations I’ve heard.
I found the ending of the band sudden. We all knew it was coming but yet I still found the way it was written anticlimactic and incomplete somehow, and not in a satisfying literary way.
I found the attempt at actually writing the band’s hit song “Honeycomb” and playing it at the end of the audiobook embarrassing??? You can’t write a novel and paint a picture about how extraordinary and talented and huge this band was and then expose my ears to whatever that was and expect me to say, yes, people definitely would have gone crazy over this song. It was cringey.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Abandonment, Misogyny, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, War, and Grief
emmie2468'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: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, and Death
abbyrm16'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
3.5
this was my first read through a documentary style book and it took me a bit to get into it but then i really did. then taylor jenkins reid had to throw that curveball of “the author”?! did not see that coming but it was sweet. the characters felt real, loved the interview style writing and the tone of the whole book. i really got invested even though this genre isn’t usually in my typical reading haunts. good time
Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
daisyfont'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
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Vomit
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Death, and Physical abuse
Minor: Eating disorder, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
micaelamariem's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Death, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Cursing, Cancer, Classism, Pregnancy, and Sexism
quinn24's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, Cursing, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Vomit
Minor: Death, Blood, and Chronic illness
karirae7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Abortion, Death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Abandonment, and Abortion
Minor: Death, Pregnancy, and Death of parent
chrstnpet2's review against another edition
- 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: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Addiction, Alcohol, and Drug use
Moderate: Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Vomit, and Emotional abuse
bookwormlily'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: Addiction, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Drug use
Moderate: Infidelity, Self harm, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder
Minor: Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Blood, and Abortion