notthatcosta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
There is so much about the world this is set in that remains unsaid, which is the most disturbing aspect of it. There's a reverberating, dull dread that gets more and more intense as more is revealed. And yet, once the pieces come together, there's a strange beauty beneath it all.
It is this conflicting tone that makes it such a beguiling read, even by dystopian standards. I'm thrilled to know there is a film adaptation, and if it's even a bit of the level of the book, I'll be in for a treat.
Moderate: Medical trauma, Bullying, Death, Grief, and Medical content
marissasa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Medical content, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Bullying, and Infertility
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Stalking, Death, Sexual content, Medical content, and Bullying
Minor: Cancer
gia0203's review against another edition
2.0
The writing style got tiring after a while. There were so many “and that was when” “and this is why”, it started to feel unnatural and it really started to take me out of the book. I also didn’t enjoy that conversation near the end that revealed a lot of plot points - after such a slow pace throughout the book, it just felt rushed and wrong.
Despite the fact we were constantly in these characters heads, I struggled to connect with them. There was a lot of repetition in their conversations and interactions. I didn’t particularly mind what happened to them. Again, this was in part due to the rushed ending. It was a very “show not tell” style, where I was Told about intimate conversations or important moments, but they never actually happened in the book. Some of the most significant moments in this book are described in a single paragraph.
Spoiler
Character deaths should not be so nonchalant, particularly when they have been there for the entire book. I almost got emotional, but couldn’t. There just wasn’t any payoff.Tommy was the strongest character here, as well as Ruth. Our narrator was sometimes interesting, and sometimes irritating. I liked that they all had flaws. I also quite enjoyed the unravelling mystery and the journey through time, though it worked far better in the first half than in the second.
I think the author’s style really just isn’t for me.
Graphic: Bullying and Death
klutzy347'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: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death
Moderate: Infertility, Bullying, and Sexual content
issyd23'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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infertility, Medical content, Torture, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Terminal illness
frannyrdclark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Sexual content
Minor: Infertility
charliereadsalot's review against another edition
3.0
CW: mention of homophobia, death (of loved ones), bullying, mention of infertility
I read this for a class at uni and must admit, I probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. Generally, I liked the book, especially because of all the questions it raised. Admittedly, it made me want to continue reading if only to find out what Madame's Gallery was all about and what Hailsham was actually all about. But I never found myself truly loving what I was reading, probably also because it read a lot like literary fiction to me and that just isn't my genre. I feel like over the course of the entire book nothing happened but still, enough was going on (and you know, the incentive of having to write an exam about this) to keep me going.
While reading I was trying to piece together what was going on and it came together in a painstakingly slow way. And all the while, there is still so much to think about regarding Kathy, Ruth and Tommy's (as well as their fellow students) experiences at Hailsham, that entire enterprise of the school and their fates after they left.
Spoiler
They were never truly free, their entire purpose was being an organ donor in their later life and even though Miss Emily explained to Kathy and Tommy that she and Marie-Claude initiated Hailsham to make the students experience more humane, was it really? Why give them a false sense of hope and joy in life when it doesn't amount to anything in the end? And even the system of Carers and Donors keeps them amongst themselves, isolates them from each other in their roles. But they grow up in this system and never even question its legitimacy, they just accept it and conform to it.I think it's hard to talk about the full scope of this story without giving anything away and as usual I'm highly anticipating the discussion about it in class.
Moderate: Bullying and Death
Minor: Homophobia and Infertility
modrinkscoffee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Bullying
Moderate: Infertility
lilifane'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
2.0
I usually like literary fiction with speculative elements, but I was really bored here. I liked the school setting at the beginning, and I was intrigued by the premise (never surprised, though. I think this was all obvious and predictable) and some details and questions. But I really didn't like the characters, their toxic friendships and relationships, their boring everyday problems when there was such a huge thing looming over everything. The writing style was fitting but didn't contribute much to my enjoyment of the book, same as the bleak and depressing atmosphere.
I'm really glad I read it, though, and I'm still interested in the author's other works.
Graphic: Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Medical content, Death, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Infertility and Grief