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helenleone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
ahoyitsjoy'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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Genocide, Excrement, Vomit, Car accident, and War
kathryn0628'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and War
tetrootz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
library_of_noxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
random19379's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, and War
Moderate: Incest and Rape
jodar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I found the characters were well portrayed, the MC relatable (despite getting pretty extreme psychologically), the dialogue flowed naturally and the plot moved along at a moderate pace without bogging down. There’s even some nicely pitched humour, particularly aimed against the foibles and excesses of Americans. The story is well-grounded, too, even though at various times the reader is confronted by a wide-sweeping, multiple-time-and-space viewpoint. I kept wanting to pick up the book again each time, which is a good sign.
Themes that for me lifted this novel above a simple “fun read”: the dark side of power, especially power over others’ welfare and lives; friendship and authentic love; true versus apparent strength; the search for meaning; the ultimate mystery of existence.
An impressive first novel by the author. I’d be keen to read any sequel, as the ending hinted there may be.
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit and Car accident
epruta'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
dana_naylor's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it.
Trigger warnings galore. The gore and torment is intense.
I doubt I’ll reread it, but it was a wild journey. Definitely not for everyone.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
nookandcrannyseattle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I will say that this was GORY. Some scenes were very hard to read (see CW - rape, child murder, animal death) and I'm glad I was reading it in print so I could do some strategic skimming. So probably won't read again, but it was a spectacular one-off!
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail