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kati_'s review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Car accident
srkennedy1218's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
anabuhr's review against another edition
1.0
I like a good cry and movies and books that tear you apart but with some hope. Somewhere. Afterwards I read a lot of reviews. I thought differently about my feelings. But still jumbled all up.
Should I rate it 5 because it evoked strong emotion and was heart breaking to read? Or is that a 1?
I will never read this again. It feels like a gut punch that keeps kicking you after you’re down.
Maybe Im not so good at my rating system to realize what is a 5 and what is a 1.
I hated it. But I was captivated for many nights, blurry eyed trying to stop crying so I could keep reading.
Why did I keep reading?
This is what I wanted the book to be:
“and the nubbly teal of the sofa beneath them made them both appear shining and jewel-like, their colors just-licked and glorious, their skin delicious. ”
And I thought maybe this was what was happening:
“and everything would be wiped fresh, and he wouldn’t feel that deep, writhing discomfort inside of him”
Then this slapped me with pain and yet still I dared to hope:
“Mahler’s “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen” …The standard interpretation of the first line was “I am lost to the world,” but he read it as “I have become lost to the world,” which, he believed, was less self-pitying, less melodramatic, and more resigned, more confused. I have become lost to the world / In which I otherwise wasted so much time. ”
And kept hoping:
“when he knew so little but had such hope, and faith that his hope might one day be rewarded.”
I could continue with the quotes but in the end it didn’t make a difference. It was already written and I knew it. I knew it was going to be heart breaking and I kept torturing myself.
Maybe that is a 5 star. In a sadistic sort of way. And so I think due to my inability to want others to suffer I must give it a 1 star.
I wish I had never read it. Reading is a joy for me and this was achingly tragic. Maybe not full spoilers but fine. Enough to know that you will not walk away from this with having learned anything worthwhile in your short little life. Terrible things happen to good people but I agree with other reviews, many characters just enabled the destructiveness.
Trying to look at things objectively its very far fetched that everyone was immensely successful, even Jude. That he could have suffered all that and then been such a completely different person during trial but can’t even attempt therapy. Just a bit unbelievable. Maybe that is my naïveté.
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
jpeer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, and Violence
b00ksb4ppl's review against another edition
3.0
Everyone (me included) crying and having intense emotional responses to the story- like yeah I’d hope so. That does not make it a good book. Creating a character and having horrific things happen to him to illicit an emotional response is not impressive IMO.
3 stars still bc I was invested in Willem and Harold, sometimes Andy.
I would not recommend this book though.
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Self harm
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
syd91201's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
gabrielaclarke'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: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
julesheegs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Dysphoria
wheelylauren'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
diaryofavoid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Suicide