merah's reviews
40 reviews
- 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
I felt every single emotion while reading this book.
Graphic: Abandonment, Racism, Transphobia, Body horror, Child death, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Medical content, Blood, Death, Murder, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body horror, Deportation, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Dysphoria
Minor: Car accident, Confinement, Alcohol, Cancer, Terminal illness, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Deadnaming
- 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
4.0
kept trying to figure it out but was never sure.
Spoiler
I was convinced Peter would turn out to be Grigor's dad. not entirely sure what to think about the true revelation of the not-actually-king revelation.
Graphic: Grief, Kidnapping, Outing, Murder, Racism, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Classism, Confinement, Infidelity, Alcohol, Gun violence, and Homophobia
Minor: Emotional abuse
Spoiler
-bomb threat- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
writing? okay. not great.
characters? not loveable, not villain-worthy
plot? not terrible, not interesting.
this was a difficult one to get through. there were countless moments I wanted to dnf this. honestly wouldn't have missed much if I had.
Graphic: Confinement and Abandonment
Moderate: Excrement and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Bullying, Animal death, and Gaslighting
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Classism, Grief, Vomit, Cursing, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Biphobia, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Dysphoria, Cancer, Eating disorder, Terminal illness, and Infidelity
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Cancer, Cursing, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Body horror, Classism, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Racism
Spoiler
loads of self sabotage- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The plot could have been developed into a whole novel.
Felt a little rushed at times.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Self harm
Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Alcohol, Biphobia, Infidelity, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm so so unbelievably sad it's over. I can't even.
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Gun violence, and Torture
Minor: Cursing, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I am constantly trying to guess what will happen -sometimes I'm right, sometimes it's impossible to predict.
I have so many theories. Can't wait for #3!
Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Classism, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, Alcohol, and Kidnapping
Minor: Suicide attempt, Confinement, Pregnancy, Stalking, Suicide, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Miscarriage
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The characters are so loveable.
A thrilling story with some very unexpected twists.
And: short chapters!!
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Classism, Death of parent, Violence, Murder, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content, Biphobia, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Violence, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Car accident, Blood, and Alcohol
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Constant deadnaming and misgendering.
Terrible parenting. Gaslighting.
Slurs.
Ignorance.
The story is told from the younger brother's perspective. Very ignorant of Jessica's position.
representation of struggling trans teen and family problems in a transphobic household. But again: read the content warnings!
I liked Bradley and Rose though.
Spoiler
I disliked the end. Their mother should not have won the election. Sam should not have befriended David.
I also hate that Jessica's validation seems to depend on passing.
I kind of see how the author was going for a redemption arch type thing, but the ending makes it seem like all of the pain caused was forgivable. which it wasn't.
Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Gaslighting, Deadnaming, Outing, and Transphobia
Moderate: Ableism, Confinement, and Sexism
Minor: Excrement, Murder, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Infidelity, Death, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Mental illness, Racism, Vomit, Blood, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Death of parent