signeskov's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Cancer, Pregnancy, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Antisemitism, Blood, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and Hate crime
adyn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Would give this more than 5 stars if I could.
I would recommend it to anyone and everyone given the disclaimer that it made me cry more than possibly any book has ever, at least that I can remember. But it did so in such a beautiful way that I already want to reread it even though I just finished it yesterday. So strongly recommend, but be warned. More specifically, though, I would recommend this book to:
I would recommend it to anyone and everyone given the disclaimer that it made me cry more than possibly any book has ever, at least that I can remember. But it did so in such a beautiful way that I already want to reread it even though I just finished it yesterday. So strongly recommend, but be warned. More specifically, though, I would recommend this book to:
- people who are tired of romances
- people who like games (especially video games)
- people who eat it up when a book is just possibly a little bit too artsy and pretentious
- people who like storytelling
- people who were maybe a little too into john green as a kid
- people who loved everything everywhere all at once (idk it’s a vibe thing)
- people in a quarter life crisis
- nerds, especially computer science folk
- former gifted kids
I loooove how it focuses on the complexities of friendship over any of the romantic relationships in the book. It's the perfect amount of artsy and human and relatable. This book is perfect to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, and Car accident
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Abortion, and Toxic relationship
jayasilog's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
love this story!!! this read was as layered as a video game and very much emotional and endearing!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Racism, Sexual content, and Homophobia
colerate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, Misogyny, Car accident, Racial slurs, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Racism, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
maxel268's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
The first book I've read in a long time that slowed down time while I was reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Infidelity, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Murder
Minor: Eating disorder, Bullying, Classism, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Cancer, Cursing, and Drug use
woodsymel's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Medical content, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Vomit, Homophobia, Abortion, Cancer, Racial slurs, Racism, and Emotional abuse
abbywittle's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This whole book is miscommunication trope porn and I hate that for it.
This book started out so strong and sounded like something I would really enjoy. A loving friend relationship spanning over decades encompassed by the passion for video games, something that sounds right up my alley due to my love of Ready Player One, but alas, this only got worse the more I read. And considering I audiobooked this, it made it so much worse to get through.
I think my reading experience for this was hindered significantly because personally, I found the audiobook for this exceptionally boring. Also can someone explain why Part VII was done with a different voice actor and all the sudden was in first person? I hated that switch, the voice actor switch was a creative choice sure, but do NOT switch to first person when I'm 75% done with a third person novel, I beg of you.
Anyway, I can see the appeal of why people love this. I watched Gabrielle Zevin's spot on the Jimmy Fallon show and I can see the vision she had and her explanation is sound, but personally, both Sadie and Sam became insufferable to me due to their inability to talk to each other even though the whole conceit of the story is that they both love each other unequivocally?? Make it make sense. Anyway, clearly I'm in the minority on this one but I'm okay with that.
This book started out so strong and sounded like something I would really enjoy. A loving friend relationship spanning over decades encompassed by the passion for video games, something that sounds right up my alley due to my love of Ready Player One, but alas, this only got worse the more I read. And considering I audiobooked this, it made it so much worse to get through.
I think my reading experience for this was hindered significantly because personally, I found the audiobook for this exceptionally boring. Also can someone explain why Part VII was done with a different voice actor and all the sudden was in first person? I hated that switch, the voice actor switch was a creative choice sure, but do NOT switch to first person when I'm 75% done with a third person novel, I beg of you.
Anyway, I can see the appeal of why people love this. I watched Gabrielle Zevin's spot on the Jimmy Fallon show and I can see the vision she had and her explanation is sound, but personally, both Sadie and Sam became insufferable to me due to their inability to talk to each other even though the whole conceit of the story is that they both love each other unequivocally?? Make it make sense. Anyway, clearly I'm in the minority on this one but I'm okay with that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Racism
ymziegler's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
The best book I've read this year. The way friendship is framed is so unique and hard to find, it was so refreshing and touching. The discussions on race, disability, sexism, etc were so compelling and real. The characters were so flawed and so lovable. Life isn't a game, we don't have a second chance at life, eat some peaches with your friends and everything will be okay even when it isn't.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Death, Death of parent, and Car accident
Moderate: Antisemitism, Racism, Sexism, Misogyny, Abortion, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit and Infidelity
bklassen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
What a disappointment. This book got so much hype and praise, especially from John Green; I loved Zevin’s other book, “The Storied Life of AJ Fikry”; I love video games and themes of friendship or collaboration – so why didn’t this book work for me?
In a word: melodrama. In multiple words: Way too much melodrama. At times it felt like a more grounded soap opera.
I have never wanted characters to get more therapy before, even though I actively know that characters becoming mentally or emotionally healthy resolves most, if not all, of the tension in a book. It actively hindered my enjoyment of the book, and I think the biggest issue is that there didn’t feel like enough growth, or any growth that occurred felt like it was in the last 10% of the book.
The rest of the book felt like emotional torture porn. If you liked A Little Life, you might like this book!
Spoiler
It starts off well with these two kids bonding over video games. His foot was destroyed in a car accident and she was visiting her sister with cancer, and they bond as two friends never have before. But then the “secret” of Sadie using their friendship for community service (or at least that’s how it started – she was a little opportunistic, but then she actually became best friends with Sam) comes out and he won’t talk to her for years because he’s hurt.Understandable! Kids don’t usually have the emotional reasoning to process and talk through that! Oh also he had just lost his mom in a car accident and his foot was mashed and he was in incredible pain, so he’s already not in the right mindset and is incredibly vulnerable.
Years later, they into each other while in college and they agree to put the past behind them and become friends again because they used to be the best of friends. And they’re both brilliant when it comes to coding and video games.
But then something else major happens, like Sadie accusing Sam of pushing her into an abusive relationship, and instead of talking it out, they just “break up” again.
Rinse and repeat but with alternating characters initiating the cold shoulder for the rest of the book. Oh and throw in a love triangle, too.
Want to know the full list of drama and awful things that occur in the book?
Spoiler
Parent and grandparent death, suicide, abortion, unplanned pregnancy, estranged fathers, racism, abusive relationships where the two people STAY FRIENDS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, a love triangle, a shooting/death of a partner, amputation/medical trauma, depression, and more.The whole book was a codependent relationship where the two main characters hated each other off and on – I wanted them to either get therapy and figure their shit out or just stop being friends because they’re both toxic.
I am very aware of the conversation circling books: can you or are you supposed to enjoy a book with unlikable characters? I’d say it depends on why you read, the purpose of the book, and what you like in books.
To me, it’s like the difference between Friends/Seinfeld, It’s Always Sunny, and Succession. The first shows have pretty terrible people in them but they try to convince you that they’re good people, the second show knows and revels in the fact that the MCs are all terrible people but it’s for comedy, and the third show knows you want that good, good drama about terrible people. All valid and great shows, but it’s crucial to know what you want to watch and what you’re getting into. For instance, I know I wouldn’t like Succession, so I don’t watch it because I wouldn’t enjoy it.
This is all to say that this isn’t objectively a bad book, it’s more a warning to readers who are interested. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTING INTO. If you don’t like melodramatic books about friendship that feels more off than on, then you’d almost certainly not like this book, especially if you despise love triangles.
However, if you enjoy books with lots of dramatic life events, friendships that do feel real between people with lots of unresolved trauma and issues, and more, then you may enjoy this!
I personally don’t enjoy those things and really did not connect with this book, so it wasn’t for me.
To Zevin’s credit, she has an astounding vocabulary. More than 10-15 times I found myself looking up a word. And both the characters are almost too smart for their own good, so the usage of such words felt apt.
Secondly, she did do a great job of putting forth one point of view or perspective so that I would understand, empathize with, and side with that character. But then the next POV switch would occur and I would switch sides. This shows a fundamental understanding of her characters that she was able to do that because context and understanding is more than half the battle.
Another book about two best friends creating art together alongside the crazy ups and downs and trauma of life that I really enjoyed was The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker. I can’t put my finger on why I enjoyed that book more than T & T & T, but perhaps it was that I actually felt their friendship better and that even though the two characters go through highs and lows and insane shit, they at least felt like real friends and worked through it. I felt a deeper connection to the two of them and wanted them to work out whatever they go through. So maybe that is the difference. Oh and no love triangles!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Minor: Abortion
elliedesatge's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Death, Cancer, Antisemitism, Abortion, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Gun violence, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, and Hate crime