Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

32 reviews

pkc's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

Yet another Oseman finished and honestly, she does not disappoint! The resemblance to ‘Catcher in the Rye’ is inescapable, BUT, I would say this has more of ‘Heathers’ than Holden Caulfield. I had a lot of love for the cast of characters (many from Heartstopper) and how their story is examined and expanded upon in this much darker narrative. Tori is such an elegantly executed protagonist. I find performative cynicism so dull most of the time, but Tori has a raison d’etre for her attitude and light is carefully shone on it with enough time taken to let it develop. I can’t wait to read my next Alice Oseman novel. I had one irk about the plot, but it wasn’t enough to detract from my overall feelings about the book, so I shall spoiler tag it below.

I was SO BOTHERED that Becky appeared to stay with Ben and I don’t necessarily think that Tori was wrong in being pissed off, considering that she witnessed Ben’s attack on Charlie. Internalised homophobia is probably a decent thing to look at exploring, so I’d like to maybe see that in the future using these characters. I suppose there wasn’t enough space here or it didn’t fit, but anyway. TL:DR Becky was a bad friend for going back to Ben.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

bashsbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

That was emotionally ravaging. I don't know what I was expecting... I guess maybe something more smoothed-over like Heartstopper? But I'm glad it isn't. I needed this book when I was a teenager. I'm happy kids have it now. 

I've read some of her later work and I can see how she has improved as a writer. But this is a damn good start.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Cursing, and Toxic friendship

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexism

dani_2006's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Gore, Hate crime, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

sudatot's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Hate crime and Homophobia

Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Alcohol

sky_lar's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Eating disorder, Hate crime, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

zannayo's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The writing style is pretty simplistic but even so, the overall story felt very accurate to the true experience of being a teenager struggling with mental health.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Eating disorder, Violence, and Toxic friendship

valereads's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Ableism, Hate crime, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Bullying and Medical content

mir_frog73's review against another edition

funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Self harm

Minor: Blood