Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

6 reviews

angorarabbit's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Clarketech: antigravity on a macro scale, possible travel to other dimensions. 

 

TLDR: A well written fantasy on the theme of technology vs nature saving the world. 

 

A friend gave me this years ago. I admit that the first book of the story took me a few tries to read due to the almost unremitting bullying the two main characters (mc) experience. Books 2-4 still have the bullying, but to a lesser degree. Despite the novel’s fantastical plot iit s very realistic when it comes bullying and the aftereffects of bullying. 

 

Ms Anders’ characters are well fleshed out and diverse in personality and ethnicity. I was disappointed that there were no lgbtqaa+ relationships. Her two mc are understandable and consistent continuing to grow as the story moves forward. They also, despite their differences, are very loveable, I was rooting for them both despite their divergent goals.Ms Ander’s world building is detailed taking time to describe the plants, birds, and machines so a reader can see them The plot keeps you turning pages as the fate of everything we know lies in the balance. 

 

My only criticisms are first; Berkley is abandoned. This is remedied in the short story Clover which makes more sense if you read it after All the Birds in the Sky. I downloaded my free copy from Tordotcom. The second is there never is an explanation for why the mc’s parents act the way they do. Their actions are so unredeemable I feel there must be some explanation. We don’t get their backstories though. 

 

These are small things and the ending was everything I needed.. I will be reading more from this author. 

 

Thank you Zoey’s mum for this wonderful book. I’m sorry it took my brain so long to read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicide

The one chapter containing graphic sexual content (sc) can be skimmed, you do have to read the last paragraph or so which is after the sc. All other sc is brief and not detailed. The bullying can cause serious flashbacks to garbage swirlies in some people.

walkie_check's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Ableism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bibeanenergy's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death of parent and Alcohol

anniereads221's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

talonsontypewriters's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape, Self harm, and Vomit

f18's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and War