Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

Chlorine by Jade Song

111 reviews

destiniev's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved everything about this book. Loved the writing, the story, the messiness, the queerness, the ending, the horror everything! Most likely will be a top book for 2024
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herelieshenry's review against another edition

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

2.25

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lexiesophocli's review against another edition

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

2.5

felt a lot like ‘our wives under the sea’ in that the mystical element was very confusing, despite the rest of the story being an interesting read. I was waiting for a deeper dive (pardon the pun) into the characters and their motivations but it never came - all in all, this book felt a bit shallow (wow two for two on the wordplay) and lazy for what could’ve been an incredible read! 
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moonmisandrist's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A dark surrealist coming-of-age story that explores gender, misogyny, sapphic love and the Chinese American immigrant experience.

The story reads like a fever dream, and Ren Yu and Cathy are wonderful narrators. Cathy is filled with regret and yearning over in action, while Ren is a character who takes her future into her own hands. She knows who she is, and who she needs to be, and while she can cruelly block out the world and her loved ones to become herself, she has moments of love and introspection over her choices.

I greatly prefer this kind of story/character and intention over seemingly similar books of the "girlhood is a horror story" genre like 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation'. Where My Year of Rest and Relaxation is gross purely for the shock factor and features disgusting apathy for humanity, the dark obsession and gore of Chlorine is far more nuanced and impactful. 
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thepharmdreads's review against another edition

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

3.0

If you like mermaids and unhinged girls this book is for you 
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frogggirl2's review against another edition

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challenging dark fast-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? No

4.5

I love the main character, the writing, the queer perspectives, and the examination of female friendship that goes beyond friendship.  I'm always a fan of people who are fish, or think they are fish or merpeople who want to be human, or merpeople onland, or anything similar.  What I had a little trouble with is the idea that she's a mentally ill girl, and she's going to have permanent disability. I don't think that's what I'm supposed to take away from this or that I'm even necessarily right about the conclusion of the book.  

From a storytelling perspective, the friend/girlfriend's letters detracted from the depth of the story and its momentum.
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tacochelle's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I love me some weird girl coming of age stories. Taking a story about finding your identity and making it so physical and visceral. Ren is an interesting narrator, I feel for her journey, especially how her discovering her true self runs parallel to a queer awakening of sorts. Her voice is also very decidedly that of a teenager. She's dramatic in her declarations, in a way that reminds me of friends I had in high school. I've seen some criticism of it in other reviews, but it feels believable to me. But I also  was in the sort of friend group where one could claim to be half-vampire, go on about what everyone gets wrong about her kind, and no one would bat an eye. 
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rhiannonmohar's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-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? Yes
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charliepeculiar's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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lyrelyre's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced
  • 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

2.0

a bit of a tedious and overdone book that could've used a heavy hand with edits.  repetitive in terms of pacing.  the main character and the "love interest" have the same character voice which hurts with the main character's personal identity (being misunderstood/suffering unique problems).  Best part was the peek into swimmer's life. might recc for someone new to the horror genre because the scenes are few but visceral.
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