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annajfehr'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: Addiction, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, and Abandonment
lostwaterbottle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Some readers might feel there’s too much politics in this story, but I think the author is pretty accurate in imagining how the US would react to first contact. If immigrants at the border move us closer to authoritarianism and the government actively supports the genocide in Palestine, then of course that rhetoric would be used toward ETs.
I did appreciate the depiction of PTSD in Cora and what she was going through as a young person with a traumatic past. Her character felt real and believable to me. I’m disappointed that
It was a little slow for me in the second half- I didn’t even tear up at the end tbh. I’m used to more dramatic and smutty books tho. If read the next one. I hope to see a redemption arc for Sol and Cora’s family. I’m also curious as to how humanity preps for meeting the superorganism.
Graphic: Self harm and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
Minor: Domestic abuse
bean_7088's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Wanna be sad about the human race? Wanna feel fairly hopless? This one is for you!
It does end on a hopeful note... but like that hopefulness is somewhat undercut by the way the character speakin treated.
This one had a lot of tense scenes I wanted to hide from. I had to stop a lot and explain what was going on to my roommate so I could get those jitters out. Like, a televised "discussion" between two different sides of the alien personhood debate. A hearing where unknown evidence comes up.
Anyways, it was still really good.
I'm not sure how I felt about Kaveh. And I'm not sure if it was how he was written or just his voice actor 😅 I'm sure the guy is normally fine, but the main voice actor Stephanie Willis is so incredible that switching to him is quite jarring.
Waring that Cora goes through a lot, this poor kid traumatized over and over. And Stephanie Willis will make you feel it. Listening to Cora's Panic attacks was very distressing.
The ending left on such a wild note I am excited to see where the 3rd book will go. Now I just have to wait 7 months 🥲
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Grief, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Lindsay Ellis does a big Content Warning before everything starts. At least in the audio book.pipn_t's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism and Violence
emilb'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, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Minor: Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping
kanonkita'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
That being said, maybe avoid the audiobook unless you really enjoy listening to tremulous female voices shouting "No no no" over and over again ever few minutes. The computerized sound effect that was put over the Amygdalans' voices in the audiobook could also be grating at times and made it difficult to hear them if there was any background noise while I was listening.
Overall, I would recommend it, but do pay attention to the content warning Ellis provides at the beginning of the novel.
Also, a note that I have not seen this book listed as LGBTQ+ in many places, which I can only chalk up to bi erasure. Cora is bisexual, and it seems unfair that this gets overlooked just because she has a heterosexual romance, especially given that it occurs alongside her very queer relationship with an alien who only uses he/him pronouns out of convenience.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
bkwrm1317'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Self harm, and Violence
strawberrydaydream'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: Body horror, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Violence and Xenophobia
eatyourphone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual assault
seullywillikers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Gore, Racism, Islamophobia, and Deportation
Minor: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Genocide, Infertility, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Abandonment