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clare_tan_wenhui's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
This earnest exploration into the themes of sibling relationship, depression and grief had an extremely randomised and disjointed narrative, which made it hard to hold my attention, resulting in a very disengaged and unappreciative reading experience.
sierradewalt's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Heartbreaking. A fast read and great for when you're taking a break from a longer/harder book, but definitely challenging emotionally because it is such tough subject material. So do not read this book in a dark period of your life.
solitary's review against another edition
4.0
i started this book on a whim (and to evade reading a little life), hellbent on finding a cure for my seasonal reading slump. not only did it do its job, but it made me remember why i fall in love with reading time and time again. my heart physically ached going through this, particularly because we uncover the unnamed siblings’ lives and relationship knowing full well of their tragic ending from the start. encapsulating multiple layers of complicated families, depression, and grief, posthuma did an incredible job neatly tying everything together in only a few pages.
“I know everything about how a mother could murder her children, she said, but nothing about what happens afterwards, in other words, how life continues, how people manage to get through it together. When this is the thing we're more likely to experience.”
the book centers around the brother’s suicide: the moments leading up to it and its aftermath. their twins’ lives were unraveled in shifting vignettes as the sister tries to understand her brother’s motivation in doing so. i normally don’t enjoy flashbacks and chapters not told in a chronological order, which may be why this is not a solid 5 star for me. on the brighter side, posthume did a great job painting depression and anxiety. too good that i see myself in both the brother who was suffering and the sister who is trying to understand.
while her brother did not exactly treat her well (and his condition may be a reason, but not an excuse), her love for him endured even after death. i could feel it in every scene she morphed and readjusted herself to tailor her brother’s needs. despite broken promises, she continued to stand by his side throughout his sickness. the peak of her devotion to him was during the times she’d read wikipedia articles of topics she knows her brother loves, just so they could have something to talk about.
i might write a longer, more personal essay on my substack. but suffice to say, this book read too close to home.
some more lines that striked hard:
“—it wasn’t fair to pretend I was something other than who I really was, to keep shapeshifting like some sort of Barbapapa. I’m either too much or too little. I’m terrible at dispensing the right dose of myself.” (oh, if i could hug you)
“I’m going to start exercising again, he told me.” (gagged at this. if you know, you know)
“And if there is no shelter to be found, roll yourself into a tiny ball, protect your head, and seek refuge in yourself.” (bawling)
“I know everything about how a mother could murder her children, she said, but nothing about what happens afterwards, in other words, how life continues, how people manage to get through it together. When this is the thing we're more likely to experience.”
the book centers around the brother’s suicide: the moments leading up to it and its aftermath. their twins’ lives were unraveled in shifting vignettes as the sister tries to understand her brother’s motivation in doing so. i normally don’t enjoy flashbacks and chapters not told in a chronological order, which may be why this is not a solid 5 star for me. on the brighter side, posthume did a great job painting depression and anxiety. too good that i see myself in both the brother who was suffering and the sister who is trying to understand.
while her brother did not exactly treat her well (and his condition may be a reason, but not an excuse), her love for him endured even after death. i could feel it in every scene she morphed and readjusted herself to tailor her brother’s needs. despite broken promises, she continued to stand by his side throughout his sickness. the peak of her devotion to him was during the times she’d read wikipedia articles of topics she knows her brother loves, just so they could have something to talk about.
i might write a longer, more personal essay on my substack. but suffice to say, this book read too close to home.
some more lines that striked hard:
“—it wasn’t fair to pretend I was something other than who I really was, to keep shapeshifting like some sort of Barbapapa. I’m either too much or too little. I’m terrible at dispensing the right dose of myself.” (oh, if i could hug you)
“I’m going to start exercising again, he told me.” (gagged at this. if you know, you know)
“And if there is no shelter to be found, roll yourself into a tiny ball, protect your head, and seek refuge in yourself.” (bawling)
kinnimomo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
katareadsbooks's review
i understand what she was trying to do, but i failed to connect to the characters, many chapters i felt were too short to be impactful and many of the scenes had more shock value than anything to actually add to the story. there were certainly a few parts that were touching and beautifully written though
milliefa198's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wheninthewillows's review against another edition
sad
fast-paced
- 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
lilmei678's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.75
booksandbevs's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
What I'd rather not think about was a very quick and easy read that managed to capture complex emotions and relationships in a beautiful way. Whilst I sometimes found the story hard to follow at points, it would quickly pick back up.