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acourtoffantasyreads'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
4.0
To begin, we follow Carolyn and a few others, as they learn under "Father". He is teaching them each one of his 12 "catalogs" (war, animals, languages, etc.), and they may not study anything outside of their own.
For lack of better words, Father is their god. Now then, would would happen if god disappeared?
This story kind of has the vibe of an adult version of the scenes in Stranger Things, with Eleven and the other kids, and Papa.
This book is incredibly written. It's horrifying, darkly funny, and absolutely heartbreaking.
I think this story is about how no matter how much time you take to heal, trauma changes you, in ways that cannot be undone.
"She knew every word that had ever been spoken, but she could think of nothing to say that might ease his grief."
"Peace of mind is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it."
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Murder
sparklefarm's review against another edition
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
scifi_rat's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Homophobia, Car accident, Outing, and Pandemic/Epidemic
torturedreadersdept'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
loafhart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
There is a lottt of violence.. All formsmaecave15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol
jess2obsess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Excrement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
aducharme4'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
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
bethfern04'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
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder
chrispy_mac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
There were also just some weird, gross moments in this book that felt really unnecessary.
I'll give it this, it was entertaining and was a fairly quick read, so if you just want to not think about the fantasy elements or characters too deeply, and want an entertaining time, you might like this book. I think it's competently written for the most part, for my personal taste I just wish I'd have skipped it.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail