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lycheejelly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, and Classism
mackie5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
laurenparham's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
hukiki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Death of parent
Minor: Ableism
tamsinlucycp's review against another edition
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Ableism
sharonleavy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
In one way I suppose that's a sign of a talented writer - but is it? Or is it just a sign that people who know how to push buttons will conjure up the most intimate, upsetting incidents to provoke?
This book is supposed to make you angry. The main character, Joan, is anger personified. She has been hurt, mistreated, and used by men throughout her entire life, over and over again. She no longer cares whether or not she takes advantage of them in return.
"Smart older men will have a way of crawling up your leg. It won't feel seedy at first, and it might seem like it was your idea."
My notes for this book (among a lot of "WTAF??!!!s") include one that says "all these people are disgusting" which I think is accurate. There isn't one redeeming character. The men are all vile, the women all stereotypes.
The incident that upset me the most involved child loss. I thought that the incident itself was grossly overwritten, it added nothing to the story nor the character's story, it just seemed like it was there to provoke. Almost as if saying "are you angry enough yet? Is your skin crawling? No? Here you go, then!". I've read much worse in horror novels, but that's not what this was. It just felt like manipulation and I hated it, I hated how it made me feel. Repeated references to sexual assault and abuse also need to be approached with caution, as does the treatment of a character with Alzheimer's.
For me - even though the writing itself was engaging enough to keep me reading, I just didn't see the overall point of any of it. There was NOTHING redeeming about the main character, her story in itself wasn't particularly interesting, and the side characters were one-dimensional and forgettable.
Many will disagree (many have) but imho there are better ways to rally against a patriarchal society. Ones that don't involve graphic child loss as deliberately provocative filler - I felt more emotionally manipulated by this book than I have been by a man in a very long time.
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Miscarriage, Rape, and Suicide
emelymarie's review against another edition
- 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: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment