bluenarcissus's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Spoiler
I knew right away that this book would end with the star’s assisted suicide, and I want to emphasize that this is not a weakness or a flaw in this book. Being able to guess the resolution to a mystery simply means that one has correctly picked up on the author’s cues, that we both played our parts. It felt earned, like every good ending. Especially since, like Monique,In addition to its compelling heroines and excellent storytellIng, I’m rating this 5 stars because I so appreciated the complex representation of
Spoiler
queerness. Still women with a lot of privilege, mind, steeped in the self-centered glamour we might expect. But the abiding and contradictory love of two women and how they navigated it, and failed to… The wish and fear to give your all and show it to a world that might instantly reject you… I have felt that, in my own insignificant way. I have hidden from myself and the world be of the certainty I would be thrown away for who I am. It’s oddly impressive to feel so seen in a story so unlike my own.This is a powerful, imperfect, complicated book.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Cancer
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexism, and Biphobia
Minor: Abortion
mesta'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
kudos
Graphic: Grief, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Death, Cancer, Misogyny, and Infidelity
Moderate: Car accident, Suicide, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Biphobia
Minor: Abortion
smchampz'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
Moderate: Car accident and Alcoholism
Minor: Cancer and Abortion
maddydiz'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, Toxic relationship, and Biphobia
Moderate: Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Death, Suicide, Cancer, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse
Minor: Pedophilia, Vomit, Addiction, and Adult/minor relationship
tinyflame4'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
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Abortion, Cancer, Car accident, and Death
sop_hee'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
3.75
Moderate: Death
Minor: Biphobia, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Infidelity
Death mentioned in content warning because it's a story of a woman's life told when she was in her 80s or around that. Naturally being that age she has had friends die and will also soon die herself, hence the mention, although there are a few deaths that are more unexpected than others.clare_dv'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
Moderate: Homophobia, Death, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Car accident, Chronic illness, and Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Cancer
bookedfortheweekend25's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Car accident
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Cancer, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Ableism, Misogyny, Suicide, and Death of parent
cheye13's review
- 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
3.0
For a story about the golden age of Hollywood, and for a story spanning decades, the narrative felt very unrooted from the time to me. I couldn't tell which decade we were in until Evelyn made a pointed comment, and when the time is the story, I'd rather it be more immersive. I also found the interviewer's storyline very weak and paint-by-numbers. The end also felt like a cop-out.
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Homophobia, Biphobia, Cancer, Child death, and Infidelity
Minor: Classism, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Abortion, Infertility, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
ohheyivy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Minor: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Homophobia, Grief, Classism, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual content, Outing, Cancer, Biphobia, Lesbophobia, Infidelity, and Death of parent