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ashlikes'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Mental illness, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Alcohol
wanna_read'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Medical trauma, and War
Minor: Mental illness
elderwoodreads'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Racism, Medical content, and War
pansyseed'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Ableism, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Medical content, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicide, and Alcohol
emileesbooks'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
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder
Minor: War
elisabethreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Mental illness and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Medical content, and War
lovelyannalee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, and War
sarah_speaks'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Child death
bird_song'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia and Mental illness
kelly_e'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
3.75
Author: John Knowles
Genre: Classic
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: 1959
T H R E E • W O R D S
Luminous • Moving • Timeless
📖 S Y N O P S I S
A coming-of-age age classic, set at a boys boarding school in New England, against the backdrop of WWII, A Separate Peace tells the story of Gene, a lonely introvert, and Phineas, a handsome extrovert and an accident that alters each of the boys lives forever. A story of adolescence and friendship, of innocence and loss of innocence, and of human nature and seeking forgiveness.
💭 T H O U G H T S
This is a classic coming-of-age story I wasn't aware of until only recently when it was recommended to me. The writing and flow were easy to follow, and the character depth was well done. It's certainly a timeless tale that can transcend the passage of time. Gene & Phineas were both interesting characters and I enjoyed exploring the powerful nature of their friendship. The book also details the trials and tribulations of adolescence is a very real way - the jealousy, the guilt, the peer pressure - all felt reminiscent of my own teenage years.
The backdrop of the war morphed into the story with ease, and although it took a backseat, it was the perfect parallel to the loss of innocence experienced in adolescence.
My one criticism would be that it all felt a little too simple. Overall, a classic worth reading.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who enjoy classics
• fans of The Outsiders
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"I could never agree with either of them. It would have been comfortable, but I could not believe it. Because it seemed clear that wars were not made by generations and their special stupidities, but that wars were made instead by something ignorant in the human heart."
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism and War