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mandersdraws's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Simply put, I love this shit!! I read it twice, once with an audiobook and then again with an ebook. It got me theorizing and highlighting the text like I’m trying to solve a cryptogram. I don’t even mind the love triangle (though I do hope it manages to subvert some of the cliches and tropes we expect with love triangles)
Edit: I’ve also read the sequel, Hemlock Queen, and I can’t wait for more!
Graphic: Body horror, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Blood, Cursing, and Gore
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Murder, Drug abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Terminal illness, War, and Body shaming
Manipulation is a big theme of this book.bex_readz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The plot of this book felt promising. The magic and world building did feel a bit different than other books I have read and I enjoyed that. What I was not expecting was having characters that felt flat and had no chemistry, bumbling through the plot line. Many of the plot twists were VERY easy to spot, and yet the characters were clueless throughout. No chemistry AND dumb. The best part of the book was like the last couple of chapters, because at least then some of the characters had the possibility of being interesting.
I just don't know. I feel like this book had potential but the execution was done poorly.
Plot- 3/5🔆
Spice- 0/5🌶️
Romance-0/5💗
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Vomit, Murder, Drug abuse, and Gore
clairew97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Vomit, Murder, Gore, Violence, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Child death, Grief, Addiction, Blood, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, War, Religious bigotry, Classism, and Death of parent
hal00alex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Vomit, Drug use, Death, Child death, and Classism
bluejayreads's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Terminal illness, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Vomit, and Child death
Betrayal, religious abuse, child neglect (mentions)sarahyjackson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Body horror
Moderate: Blood and Violence
Minor: Vomit
krisalexcole'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
3.25
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, War, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, Animal death, Alcohol, Child death, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content, Confinement, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
theespressoedition's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Child death, Blood, Murder, Animal death, and Gore
Moderate: Cursing, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, War, Vomit, and Torture
Minor: Sexual content
moonchild_cos'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
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Violence, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Genocide, Vomit, Grief, Sexual content, and Death of parent
bibliomania_express'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? It's complicated
3.5
I have mixed feelings, and some of that stems from the fact that this is the first in a series. But also that the middle of this book, with most of the investgating, is rather drawn out, where the end happens in a violent (and I do mean violent) rush. I was left with a bit of worldbuilding whiplash, trying to parse exactly what different characters are thinking. Also there was a lot of the final reveals that felt obvious, although there was also one part I didn't guess.
There are also some plot threads dropped just for the sake of it being a first book in a series, so hopefully some of them get picked up in the next book.
Beyond some of the unfortunate side effects from a YA love triangle, I really liked Lore. She's tough, determined, and actually has a strong sense of right and wrong for a poison runner. I also liked Gabe and Bastian for most of the book. The mystery itself was interesting, but I think the solution was a bit weak.
Rating: 3.5/5
*I receieved an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Classism, Body horror, Death, Confinement, Religious bigotry, and Drug use
Moderate: Vomit, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Animal death
Minor: War, Terminal illness, and Stalking