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mikki_9'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
3.5
The reason for 3.5 is because the author uses awful descriptors for people of colour, and the main character’s attraction to a friend is written really creep-ily at times. There’s also villainization of fatness a couple times and a weird sexualization/infantilization of most women/girls in this story. Also, at one point they misgender a man, calling him Mimi, saying he looks like a woman.
Maybe those things didn’t bring down my rating as much as they normally would’ve because the character acknowledges his… lack? And because he experiences a lot of character development? Idk.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Fatphobia, Sexism, Sexual content, and Stalking
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Rape
miaaa_lenaaa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
‘He comes a little closer as the sun falls on its hand and knees behind him.’
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
sunflowersarepretty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexism, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Misogyny
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Death of parent
edie_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Rape, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
notreallyregan's review
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
I just did not care about anything that was supposed to be emotional. It didn’t work. This book was a flop in my eyes.
Live footage of me the whole time I was dragging myself through this book: 😐😐
Were all of the characters meant to be so unlikable? Everyone is greasy. The men are disgusting and oversexualize everything the women do. Ed claims to have strong feelings for Audrey but he views her as a sexual object more than anything else. His descriptions of his mother are disrespectful. He is 19, but sexualizes a literal 14 year old girl. It's repulsive. The women in this novel are treated like sexual objects. That being said, I think every character in the novel is flat and boring! Ed is awful. He's so uninteresting and has no complexity. No wonder his mom hates him. His friends are greasy. The banter is not funny. The dialogue is not funny at all. If some of the crude parts are meant to add something, it was lost on me. The fucking dog is the best character.
I had a hard time finishing this novel because it was not even a little engaging. The opening scene was awesome. There were sprinkles of intrigue throughout the novel, but it did not hold my attention. Trust me, I'm not hard to please. I'm just looking for a good time but this book was gross AND boring! I am finished with it and hardly understand the concept because it was done poorly. The entire thing felt cheap.
If I were Ed, you can bet your ass I would not have done 95% of the things he did. He stalked people. He was creepy. His moral compass was so questionable even though he developed a savior complex through his mission. He came to conclusions that no one else except the author who knows the fucking plot could have come to. The people on the receiving end of Ed's messengers were so calm with a strange man stalking them and loitering. No one would actually react that way. A girl like Sophie would have been terrified of him and likely avoided him. If someone came to my house for no reason and said, "I don't know why I'm here yet but I have a purpose," I would laugh in their face and tell them to get the hell out of my home. I would call the police if I caught someone watching me. Unless stalking is more socially acceptable in Australia . . . yeah, no. I'm still giving Bridge of Clay a chance with an open mind, but this is probably the worst and most forgettable book I have ever read. And I'm being nice.
Graphic: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
latsin's review
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Ableism, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism
Minor: Fatphobia