Scan barcode
arbramirez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Bullying, Grief, Murder, Body shaming, Blood, and Body horror
masucolmusings'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
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Blood, Death, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicide and Murder
yzer2468'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
Graphic: Grief, Bullying, Cursing, Gaslighting, Blood, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Gore, Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexism, Violence, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Eating disorder
Minor: Vomit, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
jessicasole_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
READ THIS. I will be recommending to every single person I know.
6⭐️
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death
scottsland_yard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
SPOILER AHEAD!!
The ending really upset me and I don't think in the way the author intended. While it was very poetic and intense, creating a huge tension that just ramped up and up toward the last page, I feel like the ending didn't justify the means. While ostensibly a story about murder and passion and rage, it was also obviously a story about love and self discovery. I think having the main character be bi-sexual and technically in a relationship with both Meredith and James (in a way) was really smart story telling to showcase the difficulty he feels in trying to figure out who he is, not only as an actor, but as a lover. What I didn't appreciate (and it's not really Rio's fault so much as it's a tired and hurtful trope shares by many authors) is that the majority of stories that feature a gay couple require that they go through torturous and heart-wrenching levels of trauma in order to move the story along. As a gay man, reading the tension between Oliver and James over and over with little to now pay off didn't feel exciting, it felt like torture. I was being led along like a horse with a carrot, the promise of the possibility of Oliver and James professing their feelings for each other or ending up together, only to constantly be whipped with sex scenes with Meredith and violence with Richard. In the end, when you think Oliver might finally get yo be happy with James, we're slapped in the face with the blunt honesty of Phillipa letting us know that James killed himself after not being able to bare the weight of the guilt of killing Richard (in self defense, btw) and his lover taking the blame for it. So Oliver once again ends up with Meredith and I was left furious. And the last page does little to bandage those wounds.
I was left feeling empty, tense beyond belief, and with a heavy pit in my stomach. While the story was very good and the book was extremely well written, I am sick of this trope. I'm sick of gay characters being used as the martyrs in stories or being included only to drive the trauma train. (OH, also include the only canonically gay character overdosing and almost dying too)
I yearn for stories of gay couples/characters that include all the tense will-they-won't-they that straight romances have, but for once, I'd like them to actually end up together. I've learned this is not the book for that.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Domestic abuse, Death, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Hate crime, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Drug use, Cursing, Bullying, Addiction, Medical content, Torture, Suicide, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Sexism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcoholism
phantompansy'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
4.75
Graphic: Suicide, Alcohol, Death, Violence, Alcoholism, and Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse and Mental illness
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Gore
bbygirl21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
But I am so glad that I pushed through, because from Act II until the end had me hooked. I was feeling all the emotions with this book once things started to pick up more.
This was an incredible read over I got into it. I loved the characters, faults and all. Aside from Richard. I don't think I could ever like him, but I think that's kinda the point, your not meant to like him.
The epilogue of this book got me though. I was close to tears several times throughout this book, but the epilogue was what got me. It's such a bittersweet ending. I'd for sure recommend, but like I said the first act was incredibly boring and difficult to get through for me. But once you get through that the book is great.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Murder, Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Eating disorder, Medical content, Suicide, and Vomit
dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Murder, Domestic abuse, Violence, Grief, Death, Blood, Addiction, Infidelity, Eating disorder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Vomit, Suicide, and Homophobia
flygon's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual content and Homophobia
books_with_ave's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Addiction, and Suicide
Minor: Murder, Blood, Addiction, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders