Note: I read this as a buddy read and this is my first time also listening to the audio version versus reading the book, so I'm sure this colored my perception of the story.

It took me a little bit to get into the story (and that may be because I was learning to focus on an audio book!). Dee's voice is noticeable, dynamic, and fun to read. Told in single 1st-person POV, this magical murder mystery doubles as a character study of so many different characters in the midst of a murderer amongst the group killing the twelve characters one by one. I appreciate being able to both unravel the mystery myself as well as having moments that still take me by surprise, and both certainly happened to me here, which is indicative of really good writing! There were definitely moments that had my mouth hanging open in shock throughout the novel, not just during big reveal moments. Although sometimes I felt that the story dragged a little bit in terms of action versus character study, in the end I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm so happy I read it.




Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely! I own a physical copy of this book, which is very special treatment from me.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Dee's voice either makes or breaks the story for a lot of readers. For me, I adored him. I adored his snark and his refusal to validate everything considered important by his society; despite this antagonism, he's simultaneously caught in the trauma of constantly being told something horrible about himself from a young age that he couldn't help internalizing it. He's both the class clown and the ordinary everyday hero with a heart of gold that is painfully and beautifully human. There are ways that he reacts in some truly heartbreaking moments that had me rooting for me because he reacts. The internal emotion matches the external action and I don't see that as often in writing as I'd wish. Grasshopper is another highlight of a character and I am utterly in love with their friendship. She's wacky and weird and complements Dee's wild nature so well. As for Wyatt, I couldn't help but fall for him too, and here I will admit that it was surprising to hear how the narrator gave him his voice, which is a very Southwestern American drawl (as best a Brit can do!). It really drove home just how different the provinces are and where the characters hail from.


PLOT: Medium-paced, when a murderer in their midst begins targeting the twelve blessed while they're trapped for twelve days on a ship, Ganymedes teams up with Grasshopper and another boy to uncover the killer before they become victims themselves. I felt that sometimes the pace dragged just a bit, veering into character study over action-oriented in order to push the story forwards. That being said, the mystery itself is fascinating enough that I kept wanting to find out what was happening. The author doesn't pull punches in terms of giving details of blood and victims (be aware if that's not your thing) but I felt it was rather tastefully done and served the plot very well. The reveals are both shocking and, if you're interested in uncovering it yourself, the clues are all there, which is important.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

3/5: medium. I think Dee's voice in this is helpful for keeping this book in entertaining category whilst giving us some rather deep cuts in terms of the plot and themes.




CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


95%. The climactic events are truly bombastic and shocking, brilliantly executed, and matched the build up perfectly. As always, I wished for a little bit more of the immediate aftermath, which I felt everything got wrapped up too quickly and neatly, but overall, I finished this story with my eyes wide and just sitting here in shock. I'm so glad I read this one and I'll definitely be reading it again.