nialiversuch's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Child death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Suicide
Minor: Excrement, Infertility, and Vomit
sam_is_reading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Confinement, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Torture, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Medical content, Addiction, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Infertility, and Drug use
bedtimesandbooks's review
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Confinement, Death, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Child death, Grief, Alcohol, Blood, Torture, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, and Pregnancy
katywhyte's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Violence, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
the_escapist's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Drug use, Physical abuse, Vomit, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Violence
onegirlandtheworld's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, and Drug use
roselouisa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
dayday_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Problem#1: the characters
I never understood what people meant about enjoying character-driven stories until now. I couldn't connect with ANY of the characters. I didn't care about them or their plight and I was uninterested and unmoved by them. This has never happened to me where there wasn't at least one character I liked. I hated all of them, including Girl A (Lexi) herself. She has issues with a capital I and although she had tons of therapy, so much i still unresolved. I won't even get in yo my issues with the rest of the siblings.
Problem #2: character development (or lack thereof)
You got no sense of who the siblings really were as people because we saw everything through Lexi's lens. So they don't have the nuance that fully developed characters do. You get glimpsed in to them but not the why's and wherefore of it all. They do provide some context and help the story along but that's about it.
Problem #3: the chapter lengths! OMG. It was like they were never-ending. At first, I thought that I had missed something but nope. They really are one great long chapter. This probably would've been okay if the perspective of the actual character the chapter was about had been presented, but no.
Problem #4: the "twists"
They actually aren't bad per se. I felt dumb for not immediately seeing the first one as it was kinda in your face all along and I had QUESTIONS that the twist answered. Should've seen it coming and when it did I flipped back through the book and went; OH. Now these things make sense. Except there's no real resolution for them. Also the last twist (at least that I noticed) just solidified my feelings regarding a certain character.
***Note: I understand that 1 & 2 are very similar and related but I feel like in this case, they are two separate issues***
Now for the good: I didn't enjoy my time with this book so I don't have much good to say. It is a character study in trauma, grief, PTSD and family. So there's that.
Overall, I don't think that I'd personally recommend this to anyone although lots of people have enjoyed it. Trgger and content warnings abound so be sure to check those out before reading.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
dorianlecter's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Incest, Medical content, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Bullying, Death of parent, Child death, Sexual content, Medical content, Suicide, Mental illness, Drug use, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, and Addiction
Minor: Terminal illness, Cancer, Excrement, and Vomit