kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Misogyny, Outing, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Bullying, Homophobia, and Abandonment
horizonous'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
It's heartbreaking, hopeful and beautiful with characters and found family dynamics that will stay with me for a while. The writing, especially the descriptions of the ocean, are also very impactful.
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Suicide, and Homophobia
Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Confinement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent, Miscarriage, Racism, Torture, Antisemitism, and Alcoholism
◦ Forced institutionalization = Conversion therapy◦ Mental illness = Depression, PTSD
daisiesbyheart'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
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, and Torture
terriep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I listened to the author read this book and I'm so glad I did. Her pleasant voice and pronunciation of all the Spanish (or Portuguese?) words added a lot to the story. Set in Uruguay in the 70s when the country was ruled by a harsh dictatorship, five queer women from different walks of life manage to connect with each other. That was especially challenging at that time, in that country.
The book spans 30+ years of friendship, hardship, falling in and out of love, surviving a restrictive national (and familial) attitude about their lifestyle choice, and how each woman grows. As we learn each back story, some are harsh, some sad, but while the author makes the characters believable, the story doesn't get bogged down in tragedy, but leans more to the uplifting.
The writing is just ..... outstanding. The phrasing is almost poetic sometimes; it's so evocative of the country of Uruguay and made me feel all the feels. It's not flowery and overdone, just words beautifully combined to tell a difficult but important story.
Potential triggers: rape, torture, harsh conversion therapy, suicide
Moderate: Sexual content, Rape, and Suicide
ktrain3900's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual content, Infidelity, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide
arieloley'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
3.0
Graphic: War, Violence, Colonisation, Classism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Racism, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Outing, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Miscarriage, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Antisemitism
afisher121'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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual assault and Suicide
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Police brutality, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, War, and Hate crime
Minor: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Grief, and Lesbophobia
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, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Torture, Miscarriage, 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: Suicide, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Homophobia, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Infidelity, and Sexual violence
nibs'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
I want to cherish this book.
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, and Adult/minor relationship