Reviews with content warning for Drug use - All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

106 reviews

riella_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I feel weird giving this a rating based on the premise of the book. But this was interesting and powerful. I think getting the different perspectives of this unorthodox and taboo romance added a layer I wasn't expecting. The ending is also not something I saw coming.

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petrichor431's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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celeste77's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

I honestly don't know what to say about this book. I did not read the trigger warnings so that is on me. It started out as difficult in respect to Wavy's life, but I did not expect it to turn into what it did as the story progressed. I am giving it 3 stars primarily on the first part of the book, but I am conflicted on if it deserves that based on the second part of the book.

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erica_reads01's review

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My immediate reaction when I finished this book was that I don’t know how I feel. The story was beautifully written but it’s a horrible, traumatic story. There are multiple point of views which help to articulate how the two main characters feel and how others perceive them and the situation. You feel sympathy for people you don’t want to sympathize with and I think there’s an unnecessary level of shock value. It’s highly controversial and it didn’t have to be, but I’ll certainly be thinking about it for a while. And it gets people talking about it whether they’re defending or criticizing it. It’s not a love story. But it could have been. And I would have loved it if it were. In many ways I think the story could have been beautiful and uplifting if it were about a girl and a boy of similar age in similar life circumstance.

I would have loved the ending if that were the case. Instead when Kellen and Wavy end up together, part of me wanted them to go their separate ways. I think realistically they would have never lasted. Kellen is described as slow and uneducated. He’s rough and likes to fight and doesn’t think much about his actions. He’s described like a boy personality wise and physically portrayed like a big scary man. But he doesn’t grow up, and in the end Wavy does grow. What happens when she outgrows him? Will she ever? Or will she feel bonded by the trauma they endured? Did he prevent her from living a better life and meeting people her own age or were her home circumstances so messed up that she would have never gotten out? Could something worse have happened to her if he didn’t step in? Did he help her or hurt her? He did both.

This is not an age gap romance. This is not a happy love story. This is about a girl who’s had a really tough life and the people who either take advantage of her or try to help her. Her aunt was portrayed like a villain for the way in which she tried to help. She was an antagonist but her opinions and feelings on their inappropriate relationship was probably the only realistic one. I don’t think the time period or the circumstances justify what kellen does. Wavy wasn’t mature for her age. Parentification forced her to grow up and care for others in a way no child should have to. And she was a child. In the end I felt such a strong emotional connection to her and wanted her and her brother to find happiness. I couldn’t put this book down. I read it in less than two days but I’ll be thinking about it a lot longer.

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suzy86's review

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challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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shemcgee's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Potential spoilers!
I would not consider this a romance. This is a beautifully written but terrible story. Our FMC Wavy is a young girl from an abusive family who forms an unlikely friendship with her father's associate that turns romantic while she is still underage. It's heartbreaking and while some have said they found themselves rooting for this unlikely couple to make it, I found myself grieving the life Wavy deserved. She didn't get what she deserved as a child, so I can see thinking that she should get what she wants as an adult, could even understand wanting that for her. However, I still think that the author wanted you to realize that while Wavy was extremely smart and mature for her age she still wasn't grown when they entered into the beginning of a sexually intimate relationship. She knew what she wanted, but should not have been granted it at that age because she wasn't old enough to understand consent. I have no doubt that Kellen loved her, and protected her in many ways, but not in every way. He still did the wrong thing by taking advantage of her. I know it's been a common occurrence throughout the ages for men to marry girls while they're in their early to mid teen years, and there have been many points throughout history when it's been considered normal; however, normal doesn't mean right. Kids need a chance to be kids. Wavy never got a chance for a safe childhood so in some ways it's like she never really grew up. She experienced so much trauma. So did Kellen. I don't think the author was trying to make you sympathize with or understand pedophilia, I think she was just trying to tell a story of two very complicated people in who loved each other in complicated ways that were definitely not always the right ways. They found a way to be a bright spot for each other in the darkness, and yet I think if anything, the author has shown us that sometimes, love just isn't enough to make a situation right. You might find yourself wishing for peace for them, but wondering if they do get peace, will that be enough for either of them to heal? Both of them are broken, albeit in different ways. Definitely a book that makes you think and certainly not a book for everyone. A troubling read that I would read again.

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veronikarae's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This was a difficult topic to read and hard to fully grasp in my reflection. You fall in love so easily with the main characters that it’s difficult when faced with the content and inappropriateness of their relationship. It makes you feel empathy for people in hard situations and gives you a new perspective on them.

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