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scubaboo502's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Torture, and Violence
c_dmckinney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
rain02'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? No
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, and Torture
Moderate: Confinement, Medical content, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Animal death
tansytaseis's review against another edition
4.25
It had an extremely strong start, and the first half of the book was, in my opinion, an incredible show of craftsmanship. Each character voice was distinct, the prose was full of connecting strings and metaphors and callbacks, the imagery was fresh and solid, and the constant relations to mythology had me very excited for what came next. Carey is very good at writing children and it really added to Melanie's pov, and being in her head really drove the horror of what was happening home.
The second half was... disappointing. Not bad, but it felt like it was from another book entirely. There were a lot less Melanie POVS, which in my opinion was a huge loss for the book, as it completely changed the vibes of the story and took away the strongest thing about the narrative.
I'm far from a prude, but I also really really think the book could have benefited from less sexual content. There wasn't a lot of it, but going from the first half of the book being from a child's POV or focusing on a child to the second half of the book full of people constantly thinking about sex or masturbation or nudity was a big change in vibes and personally I was not for it. In addition, it got tiring very fast to jump from the POVs of the women characters, who were having genuine thoughts and worries and actions, to the POVs of the men who were both constantly thinking about how hot their coworker was and how much they wanted to have sex with her in detail. Why was it written like that? And from both of them? It got tiring very quickly. I can't believe we got less Melanie for that.
The ending felt... abrupt, and a little rushed. I definitely think that would have benefited from more Melanie chapters, too, so we could see her evolution and thought progress.
Overall, despite the fact it's hard not to feel a little disappointed at the way it fell off in the second half, I enjoyed the book. If it had kept up like the first half the entire way through, it could have been my favorite book of all time. Alas, it'll have to settle for 'book I quite enjoyed.'
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Sexual content and Torture
blackberryjambaby'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, and Abortion
blackcoffeedaydreams'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
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Pandemic/Epidemic
agatha_hopkins'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? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Minor: Torture, Violence, and Cannibalism
reddeddy'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Excrement, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Abortion, and Pregnancy
hmatt'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
I've been meaning to do a re-read of this book so that I can finally read the sequel (and then donate it from off my bookshelf). I had vague expectations that, in a post[?]-pandemic world where the zombie literature and media has run its course, this wouldn't feel as original or thrilling as it did on my first read, but I'm very pleased it holds up.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Torture and Medical content
Minor: Alcoholism