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Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Abortion, Sexual harassment
Minor: Cancer, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Outing, Alcohol
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
The chapters from Emily Vaughn's perspective offered a fascinating window into the mind of a teenager faced with incredible trauma and her manipulation by her group of "friends" and their charismatic leader. The dynamics of the group reminded me of The Secret History, with their performative intellectualism, enjoyment of psychedelics, and sexual tensions, but the murder of a member of the group much more tragic. I was struck by Slaughter's ability to make Emily's perspective seem so childish. The writing style felt adolescent, her gullibility and innocence as she processed what had happened to her was palpable, and the way she went about investigating it for herself was markedly childish. Emily seems like a kid trying to act like an adult as she emulates what she knows about how an investigation works, which is masterfully juxtaposed against the present-day investigation executed by the actual trained professionals.
As I read, I found myself grasping at straws, searching for characters I could latch on to as trusted allies of Andrea and Emily, but no one was safe. Yet, it was also hard to completely villainize most characters because of Slaughter's insistence on depicting their moments of kindness and the gender and class dynamics that drove many of their actions. This genre tends to depict good and evil more dichotomously than other adult genres, and even where the lines blur, authors often write such a character as having two sides. Instead, Slaughter forces readers to recognize that the best and worst qualities of a person are deeply interconnected, and often both spring from the same roots.
Returning to a point I mentioned in the first paragraph, a central theme of the novel is the patriarchal roots of the crimes committed against Emily Vaughn. Throughout the novel, Slaughter depicts many relationship dynamics inarguably shaped by gender and class relations, but the most obvious social commentary is the way the male characters talk to and about women. With the singular exception of Bible, the men in the story span a range of political opinions but are united by their violent misogyny. At many points in the story, we see characters like Clay speak of revolution and degrade women in the same breath. They are ideologically opposed to hierarchy, except in their desire to be worshipped by women.
I have so many more thoughts about this novel but they are more well-suited to an essay than a review, so I'll end my comments here. My final note is that if you're going to read it, you should check content warnings because it deals explicitly with very heavy topics.
Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicide attempt, Murder
Minor: Alcoholism
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Terminal illness, Torture, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Abortion, Death of parent, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol