celestialg'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Car accident, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy
kai_okay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Personally, I liked the first part better. I really enjoyed the backstory of the Riva family although I cried not just once. It started out so calm and simply escalated from there on.
I really liked how different the characters were, yet I could bring up sympathy for almost all of them. It was interesting - and devastating - to see how generational trauma unfolds.
The second part, in which the party finally takes place, reminded me of 'The Great Gatsby', so I was delighted to read in the Q&A in the end of my print version, that TJR was indeed inspired by it.
To be honest, I expected a much worse ending and was very happy that it played out that way.
All in all it is a great book with beautiful writing, a georgeous setting and interesting characters that deals with many serious topics.
Spoiler
TW: The book deals with alcoholism in a very detailed and emotional way./Spoiler
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Classism, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Pregnancy
Minor: Abortion, Car accident, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual content
joey1914'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
5.0
Graphic: Car accident, Infidelity, Misogyny, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
lovealwaysadi'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: Abandonment, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Grief, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, Violence, and Car accident
Minor: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Abortion, Racism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, and Medical content
jamiejanae_6'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
4.25
Graphic: Sexism, Abandonment, Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Infidelity, and Misogyny
_dina'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
3.75
I was really invested in both timelines and almost every storyline, the characters can be a bit flat sometimes but I loved their dynamic. The only I didn’t really like is Jay for some reason, but I could relate a lot to Nina.
A bit too much surfing for my taste though.
Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Addiction, Mental illness, Infidelity, Drug use, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Eating disorder and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Car accident
clairew97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Car accident, Fatphobia, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Addiction, Death of parent, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Death, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
bluedilly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Infidelity
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Death, Drug use, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Chronic illness
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexism, Violence, Abortion, Blood, Car accident, Misogyny, and Racism
a_alves00'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Abandonment, Car accident, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
sas_ram's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Death, Drug use, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Minor: Car accident and Miscarriage