Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - The Wicker King

August is a misfit, Jack is the golden boy, together they are the closest of friends. As Jack loses touch with reality, August joins him in his delusions and increasingly elaborate fantasy world. As they alienate all those around them eventually they both have to choose a path to truth.

This is speculative realistic micro fiction, it is like reading a stream of thought, events happen in bursts with no definitive plan or direction. There are also multimedia elements throughout, drawings, reports, playlists. Told in short snappy chapters the pages physically darken as the mental health of both characters disintegrates so by the end of the book the pages are pitch black and harder to read, such a tangible way of showing the breakdown of the mind.

This is not a comfortable read, August and Jack’s relationship is obsessive and toxic, there is an underlying intimacy that is really quite abusive and yet I liked them both. A compelling piece of realistic fiction that is a thriller at heart but pushes the boundaries of perception. How do you know the world you see is real?

Content Warnings

bossmoo's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

goldenslug's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

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scjessie's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

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? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

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mysterious sad fast-paced

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

2.5

Content Warnings

basementofbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

thebookishnerd_'s review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! It's been on my shelf for years and I wish I had picked it up sooner. I love August and Jack's friendship, even though it's not the healthiest. But I liked seeing August's devotion to him. They needed each other and took care of one another. It was great watching the progression of their friendship develop. The plot kept me hooked, especially with the mixed media element. It was interesting to see the photos and reports on the pages. The way Jack's visions were being integrated worked well, I do wish we could've spent more time learning about what he saw. Especially the progression of the visions, but I could still follow along easily. I absolutely adore the physical copy of this, with the page design getting more and more abstract while Jack's condition worsened.

Content Warnings

ashlikes's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

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

4.5

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