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kriese07's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
mellmeyer96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
“Other people got to look at a birthday and say, "Yay! One year older!" We met our birthdays with "Fuck. One year less."
Dot Hutchison’s The Butterfly Garden takes readers into a uniquely twisted and disturbing world. The story, told through flashbacks, follows Maya as she recounts her harrowing experience in the Butterfly Garden during a police interrogation. From the outset, the concept is unsettling—young women are kidnapped, tattooed to resemble butterflies, and held captive by a brutal man known as the Gardener. It’s a heavy and dark narrative that, much like a car wreck, compels you to keep watching despite the horrors.
Initially, I was captivated by the story. The imagery Hutchison creates is breathtaking, painting vivid pictures of the garden and the eerie beauty that belies the sinister undertones. Her writing is undeniably beautiful, which makes the darkness of the plot even more jarring.
However, as the story progressed, my engagement began to wane. Maya’s nonchalant demeanor during her recounting of the events made it difficult to connect emotionally with her and the other characters. While the reader eventually learns the reason behind her detachment, it left me feeling similarly numb, unable to fully feel the impact of the tragedy unfolding.
The pace is quite slow, and by the time the story reached its conclusion, I found the ending lacking the explosiveness a plot this intense seemed to promise. It felt anticlimactic, leaving me somewhat disappointed after the buildup.
Overall, The Butterfly Garden is a beautifully written but deeply disturbing novel. Hutchison’s ability to craft such vivid scenes is commendable, but the story’s heavy themes and the emotionally detached protagonist may not be for everyone. Despite its initial allure, the story’s pacing and anticlimactic ending left me wanting more.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy
hurricanealicia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
greeneggsnsamm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy
spaghettii's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
that ending was dumb asf. Like you're telling me her roommate escaped and left all the other girls to die?? Like how would he get custody of her child if he is caught for kidnapping children,,,,
Why was it written as if there was an unreliable narrator when she did not lie a single time??
I also don't get how she would've wanted the dude (Desmen?) to survive when he was complicit for 6 months and had to be convinced by the rape and kidnapping of a 12 year old just to call the police because he didn't want to upset his mom??
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
scarfires's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt
ilikenaps'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
sofi_quijadaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
bobbeym's review
- 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
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
dreamingofsmiles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury