sarzad's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Murder, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, and Car accident
Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexual content, Drug use, and Vomit
Spoiler
there is a mass shootingsevensableyes'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
3.75
I didn't really believe the friendship between Sam and Sadie, at least not beyond their college years.
Honestly, by the end of the book, I liked Sam more than Sadie. She held so much resentment towards Sam, and just didn't even try to talk to him about it? If she was so upset, why not just leave? Why drag everything on? I just don't get it.
This book was sold to me as a platonic-love story and a complicated friendship. But I could barely see the friendship, and
Spoiler
can it really be called platonic if Sam was in love with Sadie?Spoiler
Fuck Dov. Why did Sadie keep in contact with that awful man? Why was his abuse used as a lighthearted joke between them? Why didn't he die?Graphic: Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Car accident, Racism, Sexism, Death, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Death of parent, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Abortion
rellaviir's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Grief, Abortion, Injury/injury detail, Gun violence, Death of parent, Death, and Homophobia
Minor: Drug use, Medical trauma, Cancer, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Mental illness, and Car accident
oz2021's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, Gun violence, Medical trauma, and Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Misogyny
Minor: Car accident, Abortion, Cancer, and Suicide
therainbowshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Medical trauma, Ableism, Drug use, Racism, Sexism, Death, Car accident, Hate crime, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, and Gun violence
Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy
imfixintoread's review
4.5
Moderate: Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Racism
ladygetslit's review
- 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
4.0
My main gripe: Sam and Sadie sometimes felt like they were so tied to their Fatal Flaws that it was exhausting to watch them continue to mess things up endlessly. Also
Spoiler
I felt a huge reading slump after Marx got shot… I wasn’t expecting more trauma after everything that Sam already went through!Recommended for: aging Gen X-Millennial cusp-ers craving some serious pop culture nostalgia.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Injury/injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Car accident, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
Minor: Abortion and Cancer
bexh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, Car accident, Chronic illness, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, and Medical content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Misogyny, Sexism, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, and Racism
dhutton1997's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Now tor my grievances which include spoilers. like major spoilers.
Spoiler
I did not like Sam. At all. However, the beauty of Zevin’s writing is that I still sympathized and emphasized with him so I still wanted his life to be okay. Sam had gone through so much(Anne’s death, developing a major physical disability, getting an amputation, and experiencing chronic phantom pain.) I wanted him to be happy but I believe he was written to be an unlikeable character so we can sympathize with the challenges that Marx and Sadie faced with their ever-changing relationships with Sam. I think Sam’s feelings for Sadie were very confusing for me to understand. I didn’t comprehend whether it was a platonic major love or romantic. I believed it was platonic until late in the book when he said he would’ve slept with her if it wasn’t for his foot/low self-esteem. I think the book needed someone to read the book solely to follow the plot line of Sam and Sadie’s relationship for inconsistencies with how Zevin acknowledged it. explanation: I still call it a relationship because a friendship is a relationship. Due to the fact that this book was heavily marketed as a deep-dive into the longevity of a friendship stronger than love is why I rated it a 3.5. I was too hung up on that aspect to fully understand Sam’s character which made it difficult to read some portions of the book.Good things but still spoilers:
I liked Sadie. I sympathized with her. She made me realize things about my own past relationships. Again, illustrating the beauty of Zevin’s writing.
When Marx died, I was so upset and had to set down the book. It was heartbreaking to read this when you know they’re pregnant and what Sadie thought about it.I appreciated how she handled the coma scene and felt it did true justice to the experience. It was heart-wrenching, beautifully written, and absolutely perfect.<spoiler/> Zevin’s writing was so beautiful and I can see this book being taught in English university classes.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Ableism, Car accident, Gore, Medical content, Vomit, Injury/injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Grief
Moderate: Grief, Terminal illness, and Vomit
Minor: Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Drug use, Eating disorder, Misogyny, and Racism
ryankey721's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Grief, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Homophobia, Hate crime, Misogyny, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Gaslighting, Blood, Antisemitism, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Grief, Genocide, Sexism, and Mental illness