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hollispaige's review
3.25
The ideas were good, but the most interesting characters/plot lines were the older flashback parts (and those were few and far between). I found the main character boring at best and the final ending to be infuriating.
Graphic: Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Suicide
Minor: Child death, Child abuse, and Abortion
geminisoul's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Death, Pregnancy, Blood, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
laurenbeth99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
gg2019's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child death, Self harm, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcohol and Abandonment
epiclimerye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Minor: Alcoholism
amandasbookreview's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Everyone around here talks about the cape like it exists for the sole purpose of either killing or blessing them. Curses or Mermaids. They forget…” She sipped the vodka, willing it to stay down. “It’s all about the mothers.”
There is a lot happening in this story. It is about multiple generations of women who endure trauma and can’t escape a family curse. It all starts with one mother who would do anything, even kill, to keep her children. But is that really what happens? At first, I thought I knew where this story was headed but I am not going to lie the last quarter of the book did lose me a little bit. The finale of the book is heartwrenching, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t cry–because I totally did. But the portion before the finale could have used a little polishing. It just didn’t flow as well as the rest of the story.
Many people will hate the different timelines and perspectives but I loved it. It really dove into the inner workings of the mother-daughter relationships within this single family. The quote above states, “It’s all about the mothers.”–and it is so true. We watch Meredith go from unsure and broken from being in a terrible marriage, not being able to connect with her mother, and doubting her abilities as a mother to knowing precisely what to do and to heal the trauma of multiple generations. This book is wonderfully gothic and eerie and I was not disappointed! I definitely plan to read more of Katrina Monroe!
Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Toxic relationship