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rkap's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death and Suicide
arireadsitall's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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
This book was so beautiful, but also very devastating. It’s very heavy on grief and dealing with the aftermath of the death of a spouse. Do you really get inside the protagonist head and it’s not the happiest place to be. Looks like this feels so real and hit deeper than other ones
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Pregnancy
k_bridgeman's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Grief
kgo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
5.0
Beautifully narrated on audio! I cannot believe this is the author’s debut novel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Grief
theinstabookworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
First and foremost, if you have been impacted by suicide, approach this book with caution, or maybe skip it.
I've had this book on my shelf for a year and a half. I got in in my Book of the Month box the same month Stephen 'tWitch' Boss died by suicide, but it was too soon to read it then. I've tried to pick it up a few times over the past 18 months, but it's never been the right time. Until now, I guess.
Although I've never lost someone to suicide, I have lost a loved one young (20s) suddenly and unexpectedly. The way Eve's family and friends wanted to be sympathetic, but didn't truly understand her grief, was accurate to when someone dies young. I've also seen how relatives can act like Quentin's mother did and place blame and then how messy things can get when trying to go through the legal process. Grief makes people act in unpredictable ways.
This story was confronting and detailed. The way Quentin took his own life was never specified, but it is alluded to later in the book and the author doesn't hold back. The way feelings of guilt and shame were described added another layer to this story because I think loved ones do blame themselves for missing the signs that their person was struggling. For the most part, I loved Eve's family and friends because even though they didn't understand what she was going through, they still showed up for her in their imperfect, yet consistent, ways.
I regretted that I didn't annotate this from the beginning and have gone back and annotated the lines and quotes that spoke to me. The writing throughout this whole book was beautiful. I'm glad I finally picked this up and stuck with it.
I've had this book on my shelf for a year and a half. I got in in my Book of the Month box the same month Stephen 'tWitch' Boss died by suicide, but it was too soon to read it then. I've tried to pick it up a few times over the past 18 months, but it's never been the right time. Until now, I guess.
Although I've never lost someone to suicide, I have lost a loved one young (20s) suddenly and unexpectedly. The way Eve's family and friends wanted to be sympathetic, but didn't truly understand her grief, was accurate to when someone dies young. I've also seen how relatives can act like Quentin's mother did and place blame and then how messy things can get when trying to go through the legal process. Grief makes people act in unpredictable ways.
This story was confronting and detailed. The way Quentin took his own life was never specified, but it is alluded to later in the book and the author doesn't hold back. The way feelings of guilt and shame were described added another layer to this story because I think loved ones do blame themselves for missing the signs that their person was struggling. For the most part, I loved Eve's family and friends because even though they didn't understand what she was going through, they still showed up for her in their imperfect, yet consistent, ways.
I regretted that I didn't annotate this from the beginning and have gone back and annotated the lines and quotes that spoke to me. The writing throughout this whole book was beautiful. I'm glad I finally picked this up and stuck with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Moderate: Child death, Racism, Blood, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Car accident
not_quimby's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
moonworld3's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
some readers clearly haven’t experienced grief or lost someone to suicide, and for that, they are lucky. this book’s accurate depiction of the repetition of grief resonated deeply. what a gem.
nightmare mother-in-law <<<<<
nightmare mother-in-law <<<<<
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Grief
lisettemarie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Grief, and Pregnancy
rhubarbpi3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
3.75
I liked this book much more than I thought I would, but the pacing was inconsistent, the writing felt fan fiction-y at times, and I wish that it hadn’t felt so locked up in Eve’s head. The dialogue was also generally stilted. I thought the questions it brought up were interesting, however.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
michellemalonza's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The book is a difficult yet comforting read for anyone struggling with grief and looking to find language for their experience. Onyi Nwabineli uses repetition to paint a detailed and heartbreaking depiction of the constant nature of grief. The author is also able to introduce us to how Africanness impacts the process of grief and what a death by suicide can mean for people in different degrees of relation to the deceased. We're also able to see how people shift responsibility around when a person who doesn't stereotypically present as unhappy/depressed dies this way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, and Grief