Reviews with content warning for Death - Love & Virtue

I was really not vibing with the start of this book, but it because it was super easy to read, I just kept going and before I knew it, I was very invested in the story. I liked the character arcs we saw and where the plot went

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crispy_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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? Yes

4.0

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georgiepie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Privilege, entitlement and power, all set at a university college. This was captured and executed so well, my hat goes off to you Diana Reid. Love and Virtue follows a pair of young women, Eve and Michaela, grappling with assault, sexism and philosophy during their study at a prestigious tertiary institution. Intrigued and intimidated, Michaela is drawn to the charismatic and unapologetically outspoken figure that is Eve, and the two begin a relationship that quickly turns toxic; equal parts rivalry, jealousy and attraction.

With that in mind, Eve might be the most realistic literary character I have read in recent memory, not because I love her, like her, or even dislike her, but because I know her. Eve wears her politics as an identity and a challenge, and the scholarship that she is awarded is merely an accessory to this. Eve’s insidiousness lies in her intellect, her ability to eloquently invoke theoretical critiques of class, race, gender and institution whilst artfully excluding her own position of privilege.

Whilst exploring the larger themes of class and patriarchy it is in the details, the shades of grey that this novel shines. Performative activism and appropriation of the personal to further the political are difficult and complex themes but this novel does not shy away from the messiness. The writing is raw and unflinchingly blunt but not without a self-deprecating wit, no sentence meaningless and if first appearing so would often become clear in a satisfying pay off.

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arkierose's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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radiocryptid's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

If someone ever asks me what it’s like living on a uni campus in Australia I will give them this book and tell them to make a decision based on that. Whether they see the fun and light of the party culture or the dark and unethical parts of it is up to them. This book hit so so close to home and I was absorbed by the story

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ashleighday3's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

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