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asteinke's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Death, and Chronic illness
starryknightace's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Personally wasn't my kind of story, but it was intriguing enough to want to finish the book. A coming of age about the loneliness of different kinds of loss. Really well written and can imagine this story resonating with a lot of readers, would recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Cancer, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Death, and Death of parent
hazelisreading's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Death of parent, Cancer, Alcohol, Suicide, and Gaslighting
dinipandareads's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
I put off reading this for years because it gave such sad read vibes that I knew I had to be emotionally prepared for it. But seeing as January 2024 seems to have me in my sad read era, I finally picked it up and yep, we are not okay, Nina LaCour. 🥲 That is, this book was beautiful, sad, touching and healing and I'm so glad that I finally read it.
This was a short, well-paced and fast read. It's a character-driven story and it focuses on Marin's journey of acceptance and the beginning of her healing. Despite being incredibly heartbreaking, profoundly sad and achingly lonely, there is hope at the end of this book and it is much needed after the last 15% hits you with all the emotions. There's nothing particularly special about the writing but LaCour infuses this deep sense of quiet stillness and grief in her very simple words that set the atmosphere well. We're not distracted from the pain by pretty overly philosophical words, it simply is what it is.
The author steadily builds up our curiosity (and admittedly dread) as to what happened with Gramps and how Marin got to where she is today, separated and alone from everyone she loves. Although the incoming sadness is often alluded to in various flashbacks and as Marin unveils the tale to Mabel, we don't find out everything until the very end. While flashbacks aren't necessarily my favourite, in this, we don't go back years only months and I thought it was well done to illustrate the difference in Marin before and after. As an emotional reader, of course, I cried buckets of tears at the end and my heart hurt for her so badly. But I think anyone who has had to deal with grief, loss, and heartache in some form, will be able to relate to this story and our characters' emotions.
This was a short, well-paced and fast read. It's a character-driven story and it focuses on Marin's journey of acceptance and the beginning of her healing. Despite being incredibly heartbreaking, profoundly sad and achingly lonely, there is hope at the end of this book and it is much needed after the last 15% hits you with all the emotions. There's nothing particularly special about the writing but LaCour infuses this deep sense of quiet stillness and grief in her very simple words that set the atmosphere well. We're not distracted from the pain by pretty overly philosophical words, it simply is what it is.
The author steadily builds up our curiosity (and admittedly dread) as to what happened with Gramps and how Marin got to where she is today, separated and alone from everyone she loves. Although the incoming sadness is often alluded to in various flashbacks and as Marin unveils the tale to Mabel, we don't find out everything until the very end. While flashbacks aren't necessarily my favourite, in this, we don't go back years only months and I thought it was well done to illustrate the difference in Marin before and after. As an emotional reader, of course, I cried buckets of tears at the end and my heart hurt for her so badly. But I think anyone who has had to deal with grief, loss, and heartache in some form, will be able to relate to this story and our characters' emotions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Terminal illness, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death and Death of parent
jacobevje's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
epeolatrist's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide and Mental illness
rafacolog's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Mental illness
historyoftape's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Reading this was like wiping down a fogged-up window, more and more darkness and chaos being revealed outside, making the light and warmth of the inside all the more noticable. The more I learned about her grandfather the less I liked him, the more I learned about her the more I just wanted her to be able to heal. And that is what I really liked here- is being able to grow with the MC, and feel with her not just for her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Suicide, and Terminal illness
sophiegs's review against another edition
emotional
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
ouroboros_00's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Heartbreaking and beautifully written. Manages to capture and distill the feelings of different types of grief and loss with incredible economy. Grief of losing people to death, to growing up, to secrets. Grief of losing yourself as you change. Despite writing a very specific story, LaCour's evocative language managed to dust off and rip open the boxes storing my own grief and loneliness.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Suicide