Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

8 reviews

charmainslibrary's review

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Toxic friendship, Death, Violence, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Medical trauma, and Bullying

Minor: Torture and Child death

leof555's review

adventurous challenging funny mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Toxic friendship

earthie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.75

I liked this book a lot, but found the way that it ended to be a bit empty. The premise is so good, but it felt like the ending was doomed to be akin to The Hunger Games at best.

However, starting the book knowing there are sequels brought the book down a notch for me as it seems to be a common trend of Schusterman - great and unique dystopian universes ending up being dragged on past their expiration dates (pun intended).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Death, Blood, Violence, Murder, Body horror, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Mass/school shootings, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Torture, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

robin_leeann's review against another edition

dark funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Death of parent, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

nicnevin's review

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Picked this up because death is sexy. 

This has challenged me greatly because I don't really know what to say. There are parts I like and some I don't. I couldn't care less about the romance and yet it is stitched together as vital to the plot. The world building is interesting but kinda vague and I want to discuss that a lot but I don't think this is the right place. It places a weird emphasis on race, like everyone really cares about their 23&Me results. 

I guess I want to read the rest, mostly to try and pin down what the point the author is trying to make. It is both too obvious and too obscured. There are screeds about how life was better when death was a thing, actually even though death... Still is a thing? 

Idk I need to parse this on my brain. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Murder, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Child death, Medical content, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Torture, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings

maggie_the_ferocious_reader's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Violence, Toxic friendship, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Bullying

_savannahreads_'s review

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

readwithde's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I have nothing but good things to say about this incredible book. It is labeled as YA, but I feel like it's more NA in the reading. It's got something for everyone -- sci-fi, mystery, action, politics -- without being too overwhelming in any one area.

The main characters are likeable and grounded; they feel real and interesting in this crazy Scythdom world they've entered.

While the beginning is a bit boring while they're together, it gets infinitely better as they're apart. They end up in vastly opposite circumstances, giving us a better view of what is happening in the world.

I often see twists coming, and I'm rarely truly surprised, but this book shocked me.

I was certain Goddard and his cronies would be the series antagonists; their downfail was an unexpected and welcome surprise. As for Faraday, I saw that coming, but didn't expect him to be so out of the loop; I'm going we see more of both him and Curie.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, and Suicide