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living_dead_girl'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: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment
My favorite quote from the book (censored as best I could to avoid spoilers but marked just in case!) : "It really was an intense reaction - almost scary. I can't help but think about how there's a whole spectrum of ways that people respond to things like rape and assault. [ ] and [ ] are so different. And [ ] response was different still. And we're different people, so, of course, we all respond differently to trauma... [ ] says she wants to unbreak her... but you can't take a survivor's journey for them. ... Sometimes fighting for all the women who came after you is the most powerful way to heal...How many discoveries and breakthroughs have we lost out on because women were pushed out of science before they had the chance to make them?"christikb'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
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
pedanther'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
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Racism and Classism
mediocremasen'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
3.0
The twists are also very interesting and compelling.
It's a fun read that maybe could have been a bit quicker, but I understand wanting to develop the world and the characters to show the differences with other canon examples.
The friendships were fun and the evolution at the wrapup in the end is realistic, if not a bit sad.
Very interested to see what happens in the next book.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture
imstephtacular'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
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying and Grief
ivybean'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
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
notabookseller'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: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
mxbenjaminrose'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
5.0
What Rachael Allen does here, however, was fantastic. The DC Icons series takes larger than life superhero characters and places them in more realistic settings to tell YA stories. Allen has really biting and meaningful commentary here on young women in STEM fields, issues of harassment and abuse cover-ups in higher education, family trauma, and more. In some ways it's a murder mystery, while also being a queer coming-of-age story for a brave young woman who has all the cards stacked against her.
At the same time, it's also an origin story for the anti-hero we know and love, Harley Quinn, and it feels close enough to her characterization in (recent) comics and TV that it *feels* like Harley Quinn. I was honestly impressed and surprised at how well fleshed out and engaging this was! I'm so glad it will be a trilogy, and thrilled to read Allen's take on the character introduced in the epilogue....
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Stalking
jnl00700'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: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment