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kitty_may12's review against another edition
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Child death, Bullying, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abandonment and Classism
smbrady15's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Bullying and Suicide
elliemayxox's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Bullying and Suicide
secre's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
With the topic matter being so raw, I almost feel guilty picking it apart, but I did find that the narrative dragged a bit and was slower than it needed to be suggesting that the book really could have done with being edited down. The first hundred and fifty pages just dragged and whilst things did click together as Nathan discovers more about Al's life and his final days, it took a long time to go anywhere. The message when it finally comes is important, but it's not as impactful as it could have been given tighter pacing and framing.
The writing style also didn't really work for me. The two character perspectives had the same 'voice', which is always problematic when they are meant to be very different characters. I also struggled with the dialects used; the overuse of 'wot' and 'summat' for example just grated on me. The characterisations felt fairly thin with few of the characters really leaping off the page at you. Nathan is perhaps the strongest character, but everybody else felt fairly lack lustre.
So in some ways an important book, but it's also one that didn't click with me the way I thought it would.
Graphic: Suicide, Bullying, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism
Minor: Toxic friendship
cinnamoncharlotte's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Graphic: Bullying and Suicide
cutepatzie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Cursing, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Hate crime, Self harm, Racial slurs, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Suicide attempt
kellysrambles'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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying and Suicide
u2u's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Toxic friendship, Homophobia, and Alcohol
teri_b's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I listened to it on audiobook from the local library and at times had difficulties to stop listening, as I just needed to see respectively hear what happens next.
[However, the story told touches down on tough subjects as the two main protagonists deal with the suicide of their best mate, respectively their brother.
The story plays out in one of the largest social housing estates of the country and is placed at many intersections, for instance, of growing up, of coming to terms with having lost a loved one, of grief, guilt, anger, of dealing with family, friends, school, society, race, social media, bullying, but depicting also hope and kindness and friendship, art, space and imagination, you could say it takes the whole spectrum of life into view, from the worst to the best. (hide spoiler)]
It delivers a story that is compelling, haunting and thought provoking and brilliantly told.
Graphic: Suicide, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Body shaming
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use
chronicoverthinker's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
and i think the cast was divers (BIPoC) but i wish they had different sexualitys or gender identities even though that's not the subject of the book.
Graphic: Bullying