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A review by genevieve_eggleston
The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
2.5
The story was generally okay, but I found the characters so frustrating, especially Emmy, the main character. She handles things in such an immature way and doesn't seem to ever grasp the consequences of her own actions or the lack of taking action. The story is painted as if to communicate that she has developed as a person, but in the end, she's really not a lot better than she was at the beginning. Anytime a romance scene came up, I found myself caught between laughing and cringing. The romance was poorly written and tacky, which was especially bad considering that this book was primarily a romance novel. Anytime actual portions of the band's songs came up, it made me want to cringe, or even skip over it entirely, even more. Overall, the characters are unenjoyable to read about, the plot is lacking, and the writing is just okay. This book was a very mediocre read for me and I doubt that I'll be recommending it to anyone.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity
This book focuses a lot on emotional abuse/manipulation, so take caution when reading. It also deals a lot with alcoholism and the resulting effects, both on relationships and physical effects (like vomiting). This book includes a lot of toxic relationships, so I would recommend avoiding it if any of these things upset you.