sylexlibris's review
- 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: War, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Violence, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
miles's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lots of realistic pain and terror but interspersed with wonderfully tender and funny moments of beauty that capture your heart.
Graphic: Vomit, War, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Antisemitism
aurora9's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, War, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Gore, Gun violence, Child death, Physical abuse, Bullying, and Blood
simixfe'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? It's complicated
3.25
I loved the beginning, liked the middle and hated the end.
I mean I should have anticipated that it would not end with
Spoiler
Henry and Sidney moving into the british countryside, going on long walks, reciting poetry and growing old together.Still, I at least hoped for a conversation about their true feelings. I wanted Gaunt to let his guard down and tell Ellwood that he is scared that Ellwood will grow bored of him eventually and I wanted Elly to be finally able to voice his feelings in his own words and not the words of other poets. In my Imagination, Gaunt would have stopped calling Ellwood Ellwood and finally would have used his christian name and then they would have grown old together (happily). Sadly, none of that happend, except that Gaunt called Ellwood Sidney, bjt only after Ellwood basically pressured him.
It really was not a bad book by any means. I just went into it with the wrong expectations.
To end this on a more positive note: Even though it was all quite sad, there were parts where i laughed out loud. Some scenes were absolutely hilarious and Devi was the sweetest soul. And the book had great writing and beautiful quotes. The quote that touched me most was: "You'll write more poems. They are not lost. You are the poetry."
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Medical content, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
january_one'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
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Death, Body horror, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Suicide, and War