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annabel_winter's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-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
4.0
Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Transphobia
leanneymu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I feel really conflicted about this one. I normally love Everisto's whiting, and I actually found the verse form pretty easy to get into, but a lot of the characters, dialogue and attitudes felt very early 2000s in a way that was quite alienating. While all the characters felt believable, I struggled with the everyone's attitude to the character of Venus in particular (including her attitude to herself). I also found the adult/minor relationship, although believable for the Roman time period, a bit hard to stomach. Probably my least favourite novel by this author so far, but I will definitely continue to read the rest of her back-catalogue, as I loved Mr Loverman and Girl, Woman, Other.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Transphobia and Vomit
remusritch's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.25
This felt like a first draft that got published. My .25 was for the potential that it had. Use of modern slang and references to Armani and Gucci etc felt grating, also the writing in Scots didn't hit the mark. Protagonist was self-centred but not in an interesting way, and had no real character development throughout. This book was disappointing because it could have been good but just, ultimately, wasn't.
Moderate: Transphobia
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