iris_sofia07'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Death, Suicide, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders
swagkermit'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
2.25
I've heard rave reviews about Sally Rooney's books both online and in-person, and I thought one of her strengths was crafting realistic characters. Unfortunately for me, I did not realise that 'realistic and flawed' is synonymous with 'unlikeable'. I simply did not like either of these people at all and did not care for them, they fell rather flat.
Most of my criticisms of these characters were brought up in the book (namely Helen calling Marianne self-absorbed) and Rooney attempts to refute this by saying that Marianne genuinely cares about world politics and it's not attention-seeking (as Helen believes). I do not believe that it is attention seeking, but it does seem that Marianne gets a kick out of feeling superior to other people (especially when her History teacher gets his comeuppance for daring to try and teach her history, as if she could learn anything from him). This trait lessens a bit as the book goes on
Spoiler
and morphs into something darker, but at that point I didn't care enough for her to worry about the turn her life was taking.I found the writing was fine and there were some particularly quotable passages, but I didn't have any kind of emotional response to anything that happened (apart from maybe the first 'break-up' situation).
I thought that there were some good social observations in this book, my favourite being the scholarships and the discussion between Connell and Marianne about the significance to each of them.
Overall I felt like I was living in a bubble of only them, and they were both living in that bubble as well. People drifted in and out of their lives - friends, relationships - but they didn't seem to actually like any of these people and were just passing time until they collided again. Apparently no one understands them like each other, yet it seems they must be desperate for a relationship with anyone because they go running into one with whoever their friend recommends as their next partner with no regard to their own feelings. Is this how people are actually living these days?
I felt like I was missing something key about this relationship and did not find their story memorable at all. That said, I think I will try to watch the series to see if observing real people acting out these events makes them seem 'raw' and 'realistic'.
Moderate: Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
selimhannah's review
- 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: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, Sexual content, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, and Injury/injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Violence, Death, Suicide, Abortion, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Vomit
corinniebee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Cursing, Suicide, Vomit, Mental illness, Abortion, Physical abuse, Bullying, Infidelity, and Classism
maudsmeets'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Bullying
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, and Sexual content
amberrenfrey'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? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, and Panic attacks/disorders
strayedthoughts's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Bullying, Death of parent, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
gailsage_thomps's review
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, Blood, Injury/injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Islamophobia and Pregnancy
raisinflakies's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Classism, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug use, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Injury/injury detail, and Infidelity
bookboii's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, Death, Alcohol, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Classism
Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Racism, and Pedophilia