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julie_reads15's review against another edition
3.0
I loved how the author took a historical event and made it her own.
The whole first part of the novel was backstory which made it tiresome to read.
The characters' lives weaved together naturally, but I wish they had a stronger connection with each other and more scenes together.
Guy was a fairly likeable character but there were times where I thought he was a cardboard cut-out character.
Rafi was a likeable character because she was easy to sympathise with and always aimed to do the right thing.
Luke was an unlikeable character because he mistreated his ex girlfriend, didn't care about his son and forged artworks for a living.
Penny was an unlikeable character because even though Luke continuously mistreated her, she still loved him.
amotisse's review against another edition
4.0
Having read Cairo by Chris Womersley I was curious to compare angles.
Interpretations of the same theme are often interesting.
I loved how this story unfolds, how slowly the characters come together in strange twists of fate.
There is a mix of youth, young love, family, choices, right and wrong, tragedy, death, desperation, vanity, loss, stupidity, and life in it's many forms.
There is strength and fragility and a sense of optimism despite bad choices.
Fun, well paced and entertaining.
faithl's review against another edition
5.0
My Rating:
This is such a fun read! It is short but such an exhilarating ride. I loved the interweaving of each character's lives. I loved the pacing, the different POVs and the little hints here and there of how each of them were connected. I definitely recommend this to anyone going through a book hangover or just generally a bad time.
There is so much diversity in this book. There's this issue about diversity in YA and all the characters breaks out of that shell. The guy whose name is actually Guy doesn't really care about school. The girl, Rafi has a very tough upbringing. Her mother has never gotten over her little brother's death which has meant that she brought herself up. She moves to Melbourne from a South American country and she's a hardworking student. The Artist, Luke is the typical bastard ex. He's arrogant with an inflated ego. And his Ex, Penny is a single mom to their kid and she's the punk rocker whose trying to find a way to move on from her ex-boyfriend.
All these characters are so unique and when you see the bigger picture and how each of them play a significant role. It's like a huge colourful puzzle that's finally come together.
Its a hilarious and cute read. I love the romance despite how short it is. I love the real-ness of everything. Everything is realistic and I could easily relate to each character and their situation. It's original, quirky and just the type of contemporary read that I love.
missmary98's review against another edition
4.0
teganbeesebooks's review against another edition
4.0
sarahoza's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.0
tazzabunny's review
3.0
I did however, like how everyone's storylines overlapped and you begin to understand how everyone is linked.
I feel like I would have liked this book a lot more if it was just Rafi and Guys story's but obviously you need the context of Luke and Penny in order for it to make complete sense.
The ending for me was very random and sudden, I wish there was more book but It was overall a quick and good read.
aimeejean's review
3.0
I liked seeing how the loose ends were tied up and how the plot brought the characters together, but the storyline was nothing special. Read if you want a light heist mixed with superstitions and a little romance
yesther's review
4.0