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angelmoo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual harassment
Moderate: Self harm, Child death, Sexual content, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Eating disorder, Bullying, and Blood
nikileighsmile's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Death and Toxic friendship
Minor: Sexual content
speculativeshelves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Roshani Chokshi creates the perfect unsettling gothic fantasy atmosphere for this story that carefully walks the line of magical wonder and horrific dread. I especially loved that the House of Dreams felt like its own character. The gothic fairytale vibes expertly work to explore themes of abuse and self-identity in fascinating ways.
This story is told in two timelines with two different POVs – the Bridegroom (whose storyline has a slight "gender-bent Bluebeard retelling" feel) and Azure (whose storyline tells the tale of obsessive friendship) – and I enjoyed them both equally. The way they wove together in the end was unexpected but perfect and I loved it.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Bullying, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Minor: Eating disorder and Sexual content
gracescanlon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Domestic abuse, Death, Bullying, Alcohol, Child abuse, Abandonment, Infidelity, Grief, Physical abuse, Body horror, and Sexual content
Minor: Incest and Violence
callistag1'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, and Pedophilia
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Death
jaimc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Sexual content
philly37898's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Pedophilia and Violence
Minor: Sexual content, Incest, and Classism
felicityjoy'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? No
4.0
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content
taylorthewitch's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual content
sunnydale'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? Yes
3.5
i enjoyed the fairy tale references, the haunted house, the theme of self-deception through personal narrative, and the girls' desperation to believe in magic. i still found the bridegroom's chapters uninteresting except as a framing device for azure's narrative, and i didn't enjoy the feeling of dread built around jupiter's predatory behavior. i ultimately found this to be a really satisfying story, but i'd be hesitant to recommend to readers i don't know well.
Graphic: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Incest, and Animal death
Moderate: Medical content, Child death, Chronic illness, and Child abuse
Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Eating disorder
Pedophilia/incest/sexual harassment details: