aabubuyog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Minor: Abortion
aseel_reads'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
4.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Cancer, Murder, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Car accident, Dementia, and Homophobia
lilybearillini3'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
I honestly don't know how to write a review for this and do it justice, I am at a loss of words. It is a story of great friendship, love, and trials. Every character had their complexities and were not always, if at all, likeable
Spoiler
except Marx, Marx is perfectThere was never a dull point of this book, I was interested and engaged the entire time. The choice to show their friendship over decades was refreshing and I also really liked that we didn't switch POVs every chapter, I feel like that concept has been played out. The video game nerd in me loved that the author did their research on video game history and what it takes to make video games. While I don't like the miscommunication trope, I didn't find myself frustrated. I understood why they weren't communicating because the characterization was so well done.
I normally don't go into books with expectations, but John Green said it was one of his favorite books of this year, so the need to read it was urgent. John Green didn't let me down. It was truly an honor to read Sadie, Sam, and Marx's journey.
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Ableism, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Transphobia
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Abortion, Drug use, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Antisemitism and Terminal illness
deetabz's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Car accident, Death, Violence, Homophobia, Hate crime, and Murder
Moderate: Antisemitism, Body horror, Death of parent, Drug use, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Ableism, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Classism, Alcohol, Cancer, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Vomit, and Cultural appropriation
penofpossibilities's review
5.0
I was surprised by how much this is a story about theater; I knew it was about games and love but I haven't read any shakespeare apart from a midsummer night's dream and I do know, like, alot of the plots from alot of the plays, because its, you know, shakespeare. But I didn't recognize the title as a reference so it took me by pleasant surprise as a theatre girlie <3 !! I love to see love for the theatre explored in symbiosis with video games like this it was really inchresting to me and I enjoyed it alot so YEAH
(Sorry its 10pm and im so tired it feels like 1am and I need to sleep)
I LOVE the exploration of cronic pain and (medical) trauma and dissociation and escapism and internalised ableism like those things were very connected and felt so real
And I could relate heavily to how characters in this book would step outside of their bodies either out of a desire not to be in them or involuntarily bcs of a traumatic experience like YEAH me TOO bro ✌
And like yea the author was definitely doing some of that "look how clever I am connecting these symbols I used earlier in the plot to this plot development later on" and it was also visible in word use which made me kinda feel like ok I know u are trying to be so clever rn and its a bit MUCH (very much in typical john green fashion so I guess thats why he loves it sm ???) BUt I dont really care like honestly fair enough if u write a spectacular novel like this ur allowed to be pretentious about it ,, i'd do the same thing fully so! It doesn't take away from my rating. This is a nitpicky thing either way like ,,, the book is SO beautiful like truly amazing-
I will come back to this review with favorite quotes!! I have lots
Oh ALSO ! Couldn't stop comparing sadie and sam to the mcs from mythic quest (my brain is tired im blanking on their names rn) but yk I think mythic quest characters are even more unlikable definitely preferred sadie and sam although ofc mythic quest is meant to be lighthearted and also there were very many overlapping themes especially about misogyny and interpersonal relationships between women in gaming and I think thats interesting !!!!
Go read this !!!! And watch mythic quest !!
I felt v much like this book would be a good one to recommend to fans of the seven husbands of evelyn hugo bcs this book crushed me in the same way that one did it just gives me simular vibes I cannot explain but trust me !!! Im right
Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Car accident, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Vomit, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Sexism, Suicide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Antisemitism, Dementia, and Abortion
Internalized ableism, trauma (ptsd)chichisode's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, and Hate crime
Moderate: Car accident, Genocide, Ableism, Cancer, Abortion, Alcohol, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Suicide, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, Vomit, War, and Violence
m00ncake'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
4.25
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicide
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Pregnancy, Drug use, and Gun violence
Minor: Antisemitism, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Abortion
friendofdorothea'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: Suicide, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Injury/injury detail, Homophobia, Death of parent, Death, Car accident, Murder, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Blood, and Antisemitism
laurenkimoto'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
5.0
Moderate: Cancer, Car accident, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Chronic illness, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Antisemitism, Ableism, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Hate crime, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence
simply_fran's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Car accident, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Homophobia
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Death
Minor: Antisemitism, Cancer, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, and Pregnancy