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thewordsdevourer'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
3.5
the characters are deeply - some surprisingly - flawed and layered; there's no 'good' ppl here bc everyone's fcked up in one way or another. im a lil amazed at how washington handles the characterization and adeptly shows how everyone's been on both sides of being hurt and doing the hurting.
in addition to being quite funny - mike's and ben's parents are bemusingly acerbic and surprising - this book's also got a lot of heart, esp in regards to its theme of family, w/ mike and eiju's complex relationship being a particularly heartrending one. a sense of melancholy and bittersweetness permeates throughout the aforementioned second section, evoking the slice-of-life quality often found in jpn lit. i view this as a great accomplishment as it's sth so rarely achieved in western lit, let alone by a man from texas. the importance and prevalent presence of food in the story is also sth i rly like, calming while acting as a bridge between the characters, while also displaying washington's deep knowledge of jpn culinary culture.
i enjoy this book for its acerbic humor, messy characters, melancholic tone, and the exploration of its themes, particularly that in this life, everyone - even ur seemingly perfect parents - is just winging it.
Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Abandonment
sorcha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Homophobia, Infidelity, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Vomit
krystalgaia'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
Everything about this book is quietly tender, quietly palming my cheeks like a bruise. It makes you think of what it means to love, to let go, and to change, and loving the fact that you have the option to let go and therefore change. Whether that’s for the better or worse, no one knows: what matters is there is always an option, a choice, and what’s more important is you choose and act on it.
Washington’s sentences were very clean and clear. He said a lot by not saying a lot. The dialogue was topnotch but this novel’s power lies in the quiet moments, the scenes where it seems like nothing is happening when, in fact, everything is happening. He doesn’t adorn his words and simply tells the story as it is.
As Ocean Vuong said it, “this book made me happy.”
Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Alcoholism
faythd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Infidelity and Terminal illness
Minor: Domestic abuse
lucinotlucy'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
4.25
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol
brazenbookbabe'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
4.0
Moderate: Terminal illness and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Toxic relationship
greatu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
remie's review against another edition
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Homophobia, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Abandonment
sageysage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia
gabbygarcia'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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Medical content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail