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hannahpings's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual assault, War, Incest, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Classism, Mass/school shootings, and Pedophilia
incest:jarku'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
4.5
As far as trans stuff goes, I wouldn't have thought I had much in common with James Frankie Thomas. He has spoken of his moment of revelation coming to him as an "I'm like you," for instance; I had no such role models. But I did write slash and "queer theory" under an online identity meant to convince the one other man in the fandom--a cis gay graduate student--that I was one too. Idlewild showed me that these are kind of the same thing, two flavours of this soul-shredding mess I know innately and have never seen in writing before.
I don't get the sense that Thomas meant to write a YA novel (though I'm sure it would be very appreciated by a young reader with the kind of precocity shared by the characters), but if he were, I'd hold my breath for a sequel about Christopher. Off the cuff, I am immensely disappointed by Theo's flatness (-0.5 stars).
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, and Racism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, and Mass/school shootings
everesto'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
4.25
- I love the way the author utilized the different perspectives of Fay, Nell, the F&N unit, and the invert society. I really enjoyed how the chapters that were the F&N unit and the invert society were in first person and used the 'we' pronoun whereas the Fay and Nell chapters were in third person and were reflective on the events in high school.
- knowing how close Fay and Nell were in highschool and that they did not talk at all after highschool really made me curious about what could have happened to separate them.
- The faunfic was weird (don't write fanfic about real people, ESPECIALLY don't write smut. It's just weird)
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-I want to know more about Theo.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and thought that the characters and their relationships were written really well!
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Racism, Fatphobia, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Car accident, Dysphoria, Mass/school shootings, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts