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maryconney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Excrement, and Vomit
Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War
bonneamie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Pedophilia and Vomit
not_another_ana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
"That's the problem with summoning demons, you see. Sooner or later somebody else raises them against you"
Batavia, 1634. Samuel Pipps, the greatest detective in the world, is on his way to his execution in Amsterdam. His crime? Unknown, even to him and his closest friend and companion Arent Hayes. As if that weren't enough, while boarding the ship the passengers and crew receive a warning from a leper and witness a horrifying death. Soon, while sailing on the Saardam, strange voices plague the ship and shocking events confuse and scare everyone on board. Could this be the work of a demon just like they were warned on shore? Or is something more human afoot? With Sammy Pipps out of comission, and trapped in a dark cell, only Arent might be able to save the ship, but is he up to the task or will the dark waters take them all?
This was such a ride. I started this book filled with optimism as I love a good mystery and this had all the initial makings of one. A closed room, well ship, murder with a may or may not be supernatural twist. Add to that an interesting subversion on the classic detective story, by taking out the genius investigator out of the equation, and I was sold. Good writing (if a bit too descriptive), short exciting chapters, well constructed characters, lot of questions, this was shaping up to be a 4 stars. Until the crime was solved in the most ludicrous, senseless way. After everything that I read the solution to the mystery was something out of an episode of Scooby-Doo
I am genuinely so disappointed and upset by this book, I feel quite cheated. When reading a crime novel I enjoy trying to solve the puzzle. I take notes, check the evidence, come up with theories, etc. This is why if I get to the end of a book and find out that there was no way to solve it because the author was lying or pulling stuff out of nowhere I feel quite tricked and deceived. The road might have been enjoyable but if the destination is a sham? That will make me flip my opinion immediately. And this book didn't even have the guts to just go for it, the conclusion committed the crime of not only being impossible to reach as a reader, but also being lame.
Rant incoming:
And who were the masterminds behind this? Well, Sammy and Creesjie, obviously đ I think that making Sammy the criminal would have been so different and interesting, but you have to make it work. Their plans relayed too much on chance and very clearly went wrong. This solution left me with too many questions and the answers 1) don't exist or 2) are unconvincing. Plus the way this was revealed was all tell and zero show. Just pages and pages of dull and senseless explanations.
Oh and the reactions from the other characters!! Sara and Arent were both very upstanding and moral characters, even to the point of going against the expected beliefs of the time period. The murders on the ship and all the violence inflicted on the people really affected them and pushed them to find the guilty party. And yet they're cool with their besties being liars and murderers. Sammy and Creesjie's attitude to the whole debacle is dismissive and that it was ok because they just killed bad people, never mind everyone caught in the crossfire. Arent has been haunted the whole book by a mistake he made that almost sent an innocent man to his death only for Sammy to reveal that no, Arent was actually right all along. If that were my so called best friend who I defended with my life I would throw his lying ass out of that ship SO FAST. But it's fine cause they're all going to make it right somehow and be good? We'll never know cause this isn't a series đ€·đŒââïž
BOO TOMATO TOMATO đ đ
Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Pregnancy
mentions of rape but nothing happensrkpaulson96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
cmbohn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Torture, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
delienn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
As a side note, I would recomend this book even for people who are sensitive to some trigger warnings, because in my opinion, the story mentions or shows dark things, but is never gruesome and chooses an appropriate level of detail.
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Rape, Torture, Vomit, Pregnancy, and War
nuthatch428's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity, Rape, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Torture, and Pregnancy
singalana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Kirjassa seurataan seitsemÀn laivan saattuetta, joka lÀhtee Bataviasta kohti Amsterdamia mukanaan maustelasti. Pian alkaa tapahtua pelottavia asioita, ja herÀÀ epÀilys siitÀ seilaako paholainen heidÀn mukanaan?
Kirja piti hyvin otteessaan alusta loppuun saakka. Pidin kirjoitustyylistÀ, ja lyhyet luvut koukuttivat lukemaan aina seuraavan. Myös henkilöhahmot olivat mielenkiintoisia, ja heistÀ paljastui koko ajan lisÀÀ. Kirja oli jÀnnittÀvÀ, eikÀ loppuratkaisua ole helppo arvata.
Loppuratkaisusta puheen ollen, Drechtin miesten suunnitelmat kirjan lopussa olivat vastenmielisiÀ, ja mietin olisiko ollut parempi jÀttÀÀ se kohta lukijan mielikuvituksen varaan. Koska kirjassa on leikitelty yliluonnollisen mahdollisuudella, loppuratkaisu tuntuu lÀssÀhtÀÀ hieman. LisÀksi syyllisen paljastuttua hahmojen tulevaisuudensuunnitelmat tuntuvat ehkÀ hieman liiankin nÀppÀrÀltÀ.
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Rape, Excrement, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
maddyjo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape
wrestleacademic's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Torture, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail