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fleursreads'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? No
4.75
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Abandonment
franklola'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
4.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War
linguaphile412'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Suicide
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage, Torture, and Antisemitism
amccarthy'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia
jeanspantalones'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: Rape, Sexual violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Abandonment
Minor: Confinement, Suicide, Torture, Antisemitism, and Grief
The spoilers sound bad, but it is more a commentary on the historical context and setting of the book than the book itself. The author treats most of these scenes with respect, even if they are uncomfortable, nothing is graphic just for the sake of it.kclark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
The language in the book is SO flowery that it is just exhausting, and I love flowery, poetic prose, but this was too much. It was as if the book was struggling to make itself more impressive but came off like a college student trying to say something profound on every page of the book. An example: "The water surrounded them, each wave sloshing forward with it's own wet, singular song, offering the pull of undertow and a brief respite from gravity." It would be fine, and perhaps effective, if this language was used sparingly, but it was constant. This propensity for the over embellished also has the effect of making the sex scenes seem like they were supposed to be sordid and poetic which made it feel like a cheesy romance.
The characters sometimes felt really well developed and crafted, but then immediately lose track of that character development and slip back into seemingly formulaic character archetypes.
Were I not reading this for a summer book bingo, I might have moved on.
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
qqjj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, and Outing
mynamescarol'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
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and War
rubycb'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: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Torture, and Antisemitism
onmalsshelf's review against another edition
4.0
My original rating was 4 stars, and then I moved it to 5 stars. Upon talking with my buddy read, I’m changing it back to 4. I wanted more of Malena’s story, more so than any of the other characters.
If you like book that is full of family dynamics over several decades, both blood and chosen, I highly suggest picking this one up.
This book was both optimistic and heartbreaking and it was just what I needed.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia