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lbatch's review against another edition
This book is SO well written and I love everything else by Klune. The first several chapters I thought it was shaping up to be an all-time favorite. But I didn't realize it would be the kind of werewolf stuff in the category of "oh I imprinted on you when I was 10 and you were 16" and actually turn into a relationship while the younger of the two was still a minor (I think it was heading relationship at least; the start of them confessing attraction to one another at 23/17 was when I DNF'd).
I feel about this like I felt about the movie Licorice Pizza, which is that it's probably a work of art, a top best-crafted piece, and by a creator I really adore, but wtf is going on with the age gap, no thank you.
Not writing off Klune because I love his other stuff so much and I think he wrote this one awhile ago but feeling v relieved to DNF despite the quality of the writing.
Also, no judgment if you enjoyed this, I see why based on the narrative quality and it's no worse than like, Jacob imprinting on a baby in Twilight, I guess; this is just a personal and visceral boundary that was a hard no for me.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
reayboi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
barbara_'s review against another edition
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
hex_meghead's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
jayjayjers'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Kidnapping, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
natashamonsta'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Two things that made it almost end up in the DNF pile:
The age difference between the main love interests, and the fact that one of them is underage when they meet - and it truly didn’t seem necessary. Like. They could have been closer in age and older.
All of this talk about “pack” and how “pack is family, pack comes first” - just makes me laugh and think of Dominic Toretto in the Fast and Furious movies.
Basically, this book is Twilight meets Fast and Furious, with a creepy and unnecessary underage/age gap between the two main love interests.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
lunatyck's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
ebhandlemann'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
reellyfish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
meg_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
And then, the two start an actual romantic relationship when Joe is still underage and Ox is 23?! Absolutely not. I just don't understand the decision to have the age gap play out that way. The two characters aren't really that far apart in age, but it's the dynamic of when they meet and watch each other grow up that is super fucking weird. Like maybe if they met when Joe was in his teen years and Ox was older and THEN there's a long period without seeing one another where Joe returns as an adult and is suddenly full grown and Ox realizes his feelings, I could see, but this was so weird. I know I've gone on too long about this in particular but it truly made me feel uncomfortable the whole book because even near the end of the book I couldn't help but view Joe as a child/adolescent, even when he was an adult.
The other piece that I disliked is how many people were added to Ox's pack. The initial found family for Ox with the Bennett family was so sweet and heartwarming to read, but as the story goes on the found family suddenly becomes the whole town? It was really hard to suspend my disbelief.
Lastly, the descriptors of the torture of Richard felt like way unnecessary and so horrifying.
The book honestly kind of reminded me of the aftg series because so much wild shit happened that was just unbelievable, but the biggest difference again was that throughout aftg our characters are all young adults!
Alright, rant over. I would not recommend reading this.
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Torture