melitta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Police brutality, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Racism, Classism, Terminal illness, Stalking, Gun violence, Infidelity, Trafficking, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence
Minor: Torture, Confinement, Child abuse, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Homophobia
vanessan'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
Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault
jg34's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Police brutality, Infidelity, Death, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Drug use, and Pregnancy
eveymarie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, Death, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Violence, Child abuse, Cursing, Murder, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
amariehoyos'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
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Colonisation, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
lennatheunicorncat's review against another edition
1.0
I guess I should write a comprehensive review as to why I did not like this book, and boy is there a lot! First of all, we're introduced to Oscar, who is so obsessed with love and wanting to get laid as he grows up. We follow him through his childhood, teens, and young adulthood in brief snippets. And every single time the reader is with him, Oscar is whining about how none of the girls want to date him because of xyz and how he will die a virgin. He does not stop complaining at all, even to the point of obsessing about other girls or women to stalker levels. The remarks in regards to domestic violence and the abuse some of these young girls go through sickened me. Oscar's remarks towards 11 year old Maritza and her dating men 2x to 3x her age and getting beaten and abused by them was "I guess she just likes men who do that since those are all the guys she seems to date." I started out annotating my book but stopped around 30 pages in when all my annotations became "WTF?!" Oscar's obsession continues on, but the moments of relief from his obnoxious views on the world were then replaced with different family members and their unrelenting trauma. From his sister's trauma, to his mom's, to his grandfather's, never ending trauma was brought up that made me sick to my stomach, especially a particularly gruesome scene that seriously needed a trigger warning for the beating and gang rape of a pregnant teen who was left for dead in the fields (she survives thankfully, but at a price). This book just made me depressed, apathetic, and sick to my stomach. I get that the author wanted to show the horrors that the people of the Dominican Republic faced with Trujillo as the dictator, but as someone who has already dealt with enough trauma of my own with domestic violence, sexual assault, and all forms of abuse, this was triggering and kept pushing me into a darker mindset. I finally had to skim read when I reached the 50% mark and the book was STILL GOING ON but back in Oscar and Yunior's heads. Their toxic masculinity is what did me in. I finished it, but at the price of my sanity this week. I will be tossing this book out of my collection and I don't think I'll pick up another one of this author's works since some of the other books he's written deal with a few of these same characters I hate.
Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Violence, Terminal illness, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Racism, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Colonisation, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Torture
lucinotlucy'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
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Suicide attempt, Violence, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Medical content, Cancer, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Rape, Stalking, Terminal illness, Excrement, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Torture, and Abortion
zsgj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Fatphobia, Violence, Racial slurs, and Murder
ekmook'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
3.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Racism, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Child abuse, Colonisation, Abandonment, Torture, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, Death, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Confinement, Cursing, Violence, Sexism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Grief, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Cancer, Chronic illness, Addiction, Infidelity, Abortion, and Terminal illness
katia23'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence