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salt_y'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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
readwthsam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
sastork's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Death, Homophobia, and Rape
justwordsandink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
hannevdss's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
clairebartholomew549's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
taracloudclark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The first half of this book is a lot of exposition, setting the stage for the driving action. But it’s done well, creatively, interestingly. In other words, “nothing happens,” and I was *almost* bored with it, but I only had to push through a little. It kind of reminds me of Spoon River Anthology with the intertwining of lives and stories of a small town where everyone knows everyone and always have (except the newbies, but that’s not portrayed as harshly as many of this trope).
While it’s a sports town, the sport itself doesn’t take a front seat. It truly is the background while still sating any love for it.
This definitely borders on literary fiction bc the structure is done in a very precise and lovely way, using almost poetic mechanisms such as repeated phrases and parallelism. The narrative style also has a starkness that reflects the setting and the situation, and vice versa. Tension and foreshadowing are done in an obvious but not ridiculous manner. The *way* it was written is as well done as the story itself.
This is definitely a book for consideration. The story is laid out, and while there’s no ambiguity as to “what happened,” there is much speculation to be made as to why and how and what the underlying issues are and how else they affect society. There are no stark answers given. Bad behavior is mentioned, implicated, but not condemned outright. That’s for the reader to determine, negotiate in some cases. Anyone who feels this is moralizing is probably on the more brutal side of the issue.
The narrator Marin Ireland does very well in complimenting the narrative style as well. It’s 3rd person, and the author is male, but I’m pleased they chose a female to tell this story. Such topics through the male perspective can be troublesome, but I feel like the author did well and the narrator helped convince me of it.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
samlo28's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia
coybean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
samiamiam's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Boy was I wrong. I picked this book up because I needed a book with snow on the cover for a January prompt and I've never been so glad I did. This book was ohenominal and heart wrenching. I've already rush ordered the next two and I'm sure they'll be just as good. If you can stomach the darker themes of this book I can not recommend it more highly.
Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism