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the_book_nook'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
2.0
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual content
stevienielson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
tovahs'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: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
k3volutionenergy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Some of the main reasons as to why I didn't like it:
-It felt as though POC characters were used as a plot device rather than being seen as really people. The majority of these characters didn't have names, instead being referred to as 'The [ethnicity or race] man/woman', not to mention that the only role they seemed to serve was forwarding the lives of the all white main cast. As for the POC characters who were named, they were so incredibly stereotyped - The Latino doormen are the biggest examples of this
-It felt like an excuse for Tartt (a white women) to says slurs, particularly the n-word. Boris, a character who's first language is Ukrainian, starts to say the n-word as he likes rap (not kidding, Tartt wrote that). I think this was in an attempt of Tartt to show that Boris isn't allinged with what she deams as more western ideals of what is acceptable and that he isn't American however, Tartt can't mention Boris without mentioning that a) he is Ukrainian/is not American (eg. Pointing out the way he pronounces English words incorrectly) or that b) his morals are deemed unacceptable in her American lense. Either way, Tartt using the n-word as a white women is unacceptable, no question, but it just feels worse when it's just thrown in there for literally no reason (eg. Portraying racism (though, still no excuse))
-There is so many mentions of underaged boys wanting to sleep with/actually sleeping with fully grown women - there is more mentions of this that mentions of sex that is legal. I'm not accusing Tartt of anything but it definitely feels like some fixation with how much it's mentioned. I want to add, there is never sex between two consenting adults mentioned, at least not as explicitly as sex between two underaged boys or between underaged boys and adult women.
-Tartt seems to use queerness as a lazy plot device and nothing more. Boris and Theo's relationship in a romantic and sexual sense is only seen a few times when they are teenagers, more times vaguely with one time to my memory being outward (their kiss before Theo leaves Vegas). It mentioned offhand in their adulthood with Boris mentioning Theo is the only man he has ever slept with. This book seems to be pushed as a queer book and though the main characters may be queer despite their preferences to women, I definitely feel like the queer aspects of the book are a lazy plot above anything else - queerbating, really.
-This gripe is definitely very small compared to my others but I would still like to mention it - She mixed up the languages of two different countries. She writes of a Welsh side character named 'Kellin' when that's the Irish spelling of the name, the Welsh being 'Celyn'. Again, small gripe, but still something that stood out to me as a Welsh person.
I really wouldn't recommend reading this book, it's personally put me off Tartt's writing completely despite how acclaimed some of her other works are.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexism, and Xenophobia
jazhandz's review against another edition
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Car accident
Minor: Bullying and Sexual content
WRT death, there's a lot of discussion of drowning.nabila99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Abandonment
lydiajlong'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
4.75
•
This was the first fiction book I have read in a LONG time. And I love that I committed to this 700+ page adventure. Donna Tartt puts so many hard emotions and complex ideas in so many beautiful words and descriptions. You really fall for some of these characters, their faults and vices. I loved the larger discussion of life, meaning, and right and wrong. Appreciated this read and the journey Donna took us all on.
•
tw: I’d warn my younger friends of cursing, drug use, sexual content, violence, and references to death and grieving — chat with your guardian before picking this book up!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
quinn24'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Sexual content
bobatee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual content
muukhom'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The length of the book kinda overwhelmed me at first but now that I finished it, it was not a long boring book with useless description or sub-plot. It was, in fact, a really fascinating book. Although I find that some part could be cut off but it was not irritating and still enjoyable. Would definitely reread it some time.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Car accident
Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Medical trauma