jamiee_f's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. I picked it up in an airport thinking it would be a quirky novel, but was so gripped by the way this book tackles race, adolescence, sexuality, and family secrets. None of these things are simple, and the book doesn't shy away from that complication. I loved that this book centered a queer black girl protagonist, and the way the author created this impeccably believable world. A strong 5 star rating, I'll be talking about this book to my friends for a while!
jedman's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the writing style of this author and can’t wait to read any future books of hers. As far as the story goes, it was a unique and interesting plot with a ton of potential, but fell flat at the end. It left me with too many questions about every character and idea.
nikeonan's review against another edition
5.0
fucking incredible omg easily new top three favorite book
julibug86's review against another edition
3.0
Suggested this book for my book club due to reading some favorable reviews. Not a big fan of books that make the entire story a metaphor, which is the case here. There were many unanswered questions and I would've liked to have a discussion guide. Overall, I'd be interested to read what this author puts out next, but am hopeful that more care is taken than was with this book. There were also a few glaring grammar/spelling errors so it would be great if they ran this through an editor again.
pikasqueaks's review against another edition
I felt very weird after reading this. It's one that's probably going to upset you, but it turns it to you to figure out why.
leniece94's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.25
This book is different than what I thought it would be- I saw a lot of reviews say that. And it’s true for me too. Even after I started reading it, and the decay of this family became more and more imminent, I predicted shouting, blowing up at each other, accusations and hurt. I didn’t anticipate each person crumbling in on themselves; more isolated, more lonely, more misunderstood. It was an interesting read, it felt like Charlie was secondary to the things that plagued this family, and I guess that was the intention. I’m walking away with an eerie feeling, like I just watched a family have a very obvious and very tense argument in hushed tones as in their car before they all got out and walked into a chain restaurant to sit down for a quiet dinner
corganrowan's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tbabyc's review
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-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