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_eilish_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
I loved everything in this book except her best friend. She writes a beastiality fan fic with a character who is designed to hate on her best friend for struggling with mental illness. I understand that this book is meant to show ho it affects others as well but I just found her so annoying. If one of my friends did that to me I’d actually never speak to them again let alone after like a week.
Moderate: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
violetmysteries723's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
It feels like this book is trying to be a story about mental health and a missing person mystery at the same time, and I unfortunately don't think it works here. I wasn't interested in the mystery plot line at all until the very end because the reveal was interesting to me, but then wasn't explored at all by any of the characters and left me disappointed. I was interested in learning more about Aza's struggles with her mental health, especially with the OCD part since that's something I've never experienced, but I feel there wasn't enough space in the book to dive deeper.
Aza is a very passive main character, things seem to happen to and around her instead of because of her. Part of this seems to be because of her struggles with mental health, but she also doesn't actively move the plot forward when she has good mental health days. I empathize with her because it's clear that she doesn't choose to think and behave the way that she does, but she also struggles so much with basic thingslike taking her meds as directed that it doesn't feel like she actually wants to get better or relieve any of her symptoms.
Daisy is annoying and unlikable at best, and a two-faced jerk at worst. The friendship arc between Aza and Daisy throughout the book is more of a line than an arc.Daisy's redemption after the car accident doesn't feel earned at all. All the weight is put onto Aza for "being a bad friend" when in reality Daisy is the toxic one and the friendship should have ended immediately after Aza found out what Daisy was writing about her in all the fanfic. Daisy doesn't seem to care about anything but herself, and I have no idea what her motivation is the entire book.
Emotionally, none of these main characters felt like real people to me. Aza says she's upset about her mental health struggles, but her actions don't reflect that feeling. Daisy is one-note in every single scene, which is perhaps just her personality, but it would have been nice to see a little emotion from her at some point - for example, when she and Michael break up . Davis is very deadpan as well and it doesn't feel like he is ever as vulnerable with Aza as Aza is with him.
Overall, I don't regret reading this book, but I do regret buying a physical copy. I pre-ordered a signed copy of the book back in the day which I still think is cool, I just wish it was a signed copy of a book I will actually want to read more than once.
Aza is a very passive main character, things seem to happen to and around her instead of because of her. Part of this seems to be because of her struggles with mental health, but she also doesn't actively move the plot forward when she has good mental health days. I empathize with her because it's clear that she doesn't choose to think and behave the way that she does, but she also struggles so much with basic things
Daisy is annoying and unlikable at best, and a two-faced jerk at worst. The friendship arc between Aza and Daisy throughout the book is more of a line than an arc.
Emotionally, none of these main characters felt like real people to me. Aza says she's upset about her mental health struggles, but her actions don't reflect that feeling. Daisy is one-note in every single scene, which is perhaps just her personality, but it would have been nice to see a little emotion from her at some point
Overall, I don't regret reading this book, but I do regret buying a physical copy. I pre-ordered a signed copy of the book back in the day which I still think is cool, I just wish it was a signed copy of a book I will actually want to read more than once.
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, and Gaslighting
Minor: Blood, Grief, and Classism
kaymichelle's review against another edition
medium-paced
- 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: Mental illness and Medical content
Moderate: Self harm and Gaslighting
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