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beaaaisshyyy2008's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Abandonment
petethecatsdad'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: Homophobia and Self harm
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Alcohol
mrmarshall591's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
As with Thirteen Reasons Why, I know many would say this book glorifies suicide, but I think the language used that talks about why people felt the need to attempt to tale their own life and the specific thoughts that went through their head (which often are ones of peace, and yearning) are critical to being realistic and helping people connect with the characters. People who experience mental illness and suicidal ideation do not get to sugarcoat their thoughts and feelings and often don’t realize they are not alone, so I applaud the raw emotion and deep dive into the suicidal mind. That being said, I really think there should be a forward to this book that addresses what readers will witness in the book, in a way that promotes safe messaging around suicide. And I do agree it may be detrimental if someone DOES NOT finish the book as some individual moments in fact would be read as glorifying suicide but again, it is all part of being authentic in portraying the characters experiences.
The only thing I truly did cringe at was some of the unaddressed ableism, such as with the use of the “r” word which I know in 2008 was more widely thrown around but that does not make it any less gross.
Anyway, I think this book takes a bold approach towards addressing very realistic but stigmatized experiences, that while being written with a lot of dark humor, involves a wide range of the strongest and most powerful emotions. There are horrible things that happen but also things that made me so hopeful and glad. I did love the book but also was unsettled by it and uncomfortable… but that was what I needed to feel. I just really need to stress the importance of knowing where you’re at mentally and emotionally when reading this book and checking content warnings if needed.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Pedophilia, Alcohol, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, and Vomit
notsosecretbookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
fiaca'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
4.5
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, and Addiction
booksanna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Child abuse, and Homophobia
galito'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
3.75
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child abuse and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual assault, Murder, Drug use, and Addiction
theo_the_newt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Death, Drug use, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Eating disorder, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Outing
veronicantonsen'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
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Self harm, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, and Eating disorder
matheo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Medical content, Murder, Outing, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis