wisemangrace'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
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Alcohol
Moderate: Abortion and Death
Minor: Cursing and Death of parent
brogancha'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: Alcoholism, Sexism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
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
maggiemaryamos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Self harm, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
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
leasasaa's review against another edition
- 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
The characters were so real and different from one another.
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Minor: Death of parent
lucy_readsbooks13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
7HoEH made me cry like crazy, and while this is emotional, it didn't push me river the edge.
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Drug use
Moderate: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Medical content, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
Minor: Cursing, Car accident, and Pregnancy
georgie_mb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I seemed to devour this. I loved the interview writing style, which made this very bingeable. I loved the cast of characters, and the twists and turns that make them up. I was routing for them all in my own way. I’m a sucker for the 1970’s so the setting was an absolute dream for me. And I loved that this wasn’t a traditional love story. The love/hate relationship between Daisy and Billy had me every step of the way.
And most of the little twists at the end! So brilliantly executed, and they came seemingly out of nowhere. This will definitely be a reread for me at some point as I would love to read this knowing what happens at the end for any clues.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Minor: Death of parent, Abortion, Alcohol, and Infidelity
ashleighhuntley's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Violence, and Death