freadman666's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
bootsmom3's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Mental illness, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse
happilywilted's review
- 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
1.5
The only characters I didn't dislike were Donal, Leslie, and Darrin, the guy that Renee dates at the end.
I spent the whole book wondering if the author was for or against grooming and sexual abuse, as she writes the perspective of both supporters and people against the two main characters being together, but at the end of the book on the authors note she talks about how making them not platonic was the only option and tries to justify it in some way.
Every page made me deeply uncomfortable in a way that I haven't felt since I read Lolita in 2019, which isn't surprising, because the author recommends Lolita as saying it is similar. Horrid.
I hated Kellen so much, as he was a groomer and child molester. I could’ve done without reading the descriptions of his smell, his sweat, and the graphic sexual descriptions of him, an adult, touching Wavy. I had bought this book back in October after it had somehow gotten in to my TBR pile on Goodreads, and I bought it having read no spoilers, just seeing that it was a "beautiful and provocative love story". Well, it was provocative, but it wasn't anywhere close to beautiful or a love story. It was a story about a groomer who sexually assaults a child and makes her think that the relationship they had was a family and safe. But really, he was a creeper.
I despised reading Amy saying that Wavy wanted him to touch her, as if that excuses what he did to her at thirteen. Also, the judge taking back the protective order because Wavy said she was a "real person". As if being real excuses a pedophile and allows him to contact his victim.
I mean, they met when she was eight. When they first met, he was described as a giant and I was confused because I assumed this was the guy in the love story, and wondered how a child could be giant, when much to my chagrin I found out he was around twenty years old. I wish the age gap could've been at least just four years if she wanted him to be arrested for what he did to further the plot.
I almost DNF'd, but since I owned the book, I wanted to give it a chance, but every page of people ignoring the grooming and allowing it to continue pissed me off and made me almost throw the book across the room. Also, mama didn't raise no quitter.
Thankfully, now I'm done, and can attempt to scrub my brain clean of this frustrating and uncomfortable read.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
stevie1216's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use
kelseygrachek'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
4.75
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Eating disorder, Murder, Sexual violence, and Rape
Minor: Car accident, Gun violence, and Grief
janeheiress's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Drug abuse and Murder
ashrl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
Graphic: Sexual violence, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Pedophilia
rissyoung's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Murder, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
apiora215's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Abandonment, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
poeticsinglemama'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
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Drug abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use and Violence