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emily_schlegel's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Death
Minor: Eating disorder, Transphobia, and Death of parent
oz2021's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Infidelity
astylecollector's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, and Car accident
yleavy'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Body shaming, Deadnaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Transphobia, Vomit, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
charlizzzard_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Transphobia
imlfox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Grief, and Car accident
Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Deadnaming
junoversum's review
- 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
4.0
I liked a lot that the novel includes perspectives from both Ming and Tom, although I have to admit that I did not care much about Tom's perspective. I found him quite boring and struggled to remember why he was supposed to be a loveable character (?), but I liked the portrayal of his relationship with Rob, the physical closeness and tenderness they shared. But I hate that he was never held accountable for his transphobic behaviour in his relationship with Ming. Overall, I could not shake the feeling that Tom's perspective and Ming's isolation were both part of an attempt to make (her) transness palatable for cis people.
Additionally, I am very irritated at this novel's approach to eating disorder and body issues. To me it felt like they were thrown into the mix of topics quite carelessly. The explicit descriptions of Cass's eating disorder were used mainly to highlight issues in her relationship with Rob and her dysfunctional dynamic with Ming. This is a very dangerous and shallow approach to how eating disorders work. Ming's (partly dysphoric) body issues and corresponding eating disorder were also mentioned only once. At no point was anyone showing deeper concern than a slight worry (and in Tom's case: disgust) and it was never mentioned that people with eating disorders can and should accept help in dealing with them, rather than waiting for them to diminish or disappear. This is especially irritating to me as food, the enjyoment of cooking and eating were extensively described throughout the book, which seems contradictory.
Graphic: Deadnaming, Eating disorder, and Transphobia
Moderate: Death
e11en's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Deadnaming, Drug use, Mental illness, Transphobia, Grief, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Eating disorder, Car accident, and Death of parent
junglejelly's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
While incredibly sad and hard to read at times, the writing is so captivating and the characters you come to care for so easily.
A book that will be hard to forget but easy to love.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Medical content
bebobel's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Body shaming and Eating disorder
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Death of parent