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aarvi_reads's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Gore
cupecake's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? No
3.25
Narrator - I would have preferred the voice to be younger. I didn't know it was a YA book when I checked it out, and the voice itself, I thought the character was older then 17. Which was a bit confusing in the initial chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia
shadowspinner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Violence
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Alcoholism and Infidelity
selendrea's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.75
These Fleeting Shadows was such a whirlwind of discoveries, twists, emotion, and beautiful prose! I was pleasantly surprised with how superbly written many passages in this novel were. The author has a tremendous skill at using vivid metaphor and sentence structure to convey meaning, and it kept me very interested for the entirety of the book.
The plot of this novel went in a completely different direction than I had expected in the absolute best way. I understand that a lot of readers had some difficulty with keeping up with the twists and turns, but I felt that information was revealed at just the right pace, and the important points were reiterated multiple times. Watching all of the pieces come together at the end was so satisfying for me.
Another strength of this book is it's character development - I truly adored (most) of the characters by the last page. The way they interacted with one another additionally felt realistic and warm. Helen had to grow on me; she originally comes off as "not like other girls," but... it's true. She truly is not like other girls. If you know you know. For that reason, I'll allow it.
I would say my only critique is that the dialogue occasionally felt a bit juvenile. But since this novel is technically young adult, and many of the main characters are literally teens, it makes sense within the greater context of the story. At times, however, I felt it contrasted a bit harshly with the seriousness and grandiose aspects of the plot.
All in all, These Fleeting Shadows is both simultaneously a sweet, sapphic coming of age story and a dark, insidious tale that considers and explores classism, how we form our own self-concept, family pressures, what it means to be human, and the selfishness of man. I highly recommend it!
The plot of this novel went in a completely different direction than I had expected in the absolute best way. I understand that a lot of readers had some difficulty with keeping up with the twists and turns, but I felt that information was revealed at just the right pace, and the important points were reiterated multiple times. Watching all of the pieces come together at the end was so satisfying for me.
Another strength of this book is it's character development - I truly adored (most) of the characters by the last page. The way they interacted with one another additionally felt realistic and warm. Helen had to grow on me; she originally comes off as "not like other girls," but... it's true. She truly is not like other girls. If you know you know. For that reason, I'll allow it.
I would say my only critique is that the dialogue occasionally felt a bit juvenile. But since this novel is technically young adult, and many of the main characters are literally teens, it makes sense within the greater context of the story. At times, however, I felt it contrasted a bit harshly with the seriousness and grandiose aspects of the plot.
All in all, These Fleeting Shadows is both simultaneously a sweet, sapphic coming of age story and a dark, insidious tale that considers and explores classism, how we form our own self-concept, family pressures, what it means to be human, and the selfishness of man. I highly recommend it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Violence, Blood, and Classism
Minor: Alcohol
julieyael's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Lovely haunting mystery, anchoring supernatural to our world. A bit gothic, a bit fantastic, a bit creepy.
I would have loved it more with less teenage characters (harder for me to identify as I am over 40), but it would have worked less, I guess.
I couldn’t put the book down so that’s a good sign☺️
Not rating higher because of some details that annoyed me, and the romance which I don’t really care for. The characters are interresting, even if a bit simplistic/stereotyped.
I loved the global rythm of the story and could re-read it with pleasure.
I would have loved it more with less teenage characters (harder for me to identify as I am over 40), but it would have worked less, I guess.
I couldn’t put the book down so that’s a good sign☺️
Not rating higher because of some details that annoyed me, and the romance which I don’t really care for. The characters are interresting, even if a bit simplistic/stereotyped.
I loved the global rythm of the story and could re-read it with pleasure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Death of parent, and Murder
megwilli's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
kaylinvm94's review against another edition
dark
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, and Murder
sage_alexandra's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Besides this book being really good, the narrator Megan Trout? Absolutely fantastic!!!!! I had CHILLS when the first figment spoke.
Kate Alice Marshall crafted a beautifully complicated story
The book description mentions "The Haunting of Hill House meets Knives Out", but neglects to bring up, what I found to be, a much stronger connection to The Haunting of Bly Manor. Spoilers for both Bly Manor and this book:The figments being similar to the faceless ghosts of Bly Manor. The queer romance. The main character becoming or uniting with the thing that was feared most. The absurd child sacrifices (or attempts of) for power or personal gain.
Kate Alice Marshall crafted a beautifully complicated story
The book description mentions "The Haunting of Hill House meets Knives Out", but neglects to bring up, what I found to be, a much stronger connection to The Haunting of Bly Manor. Spoilers for both Bly Manor and this book:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Vomit, and Kidnapping
Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
a couple more content warnings: - mention of lobotomies - altered perception of reality/dissociation/loss of time and memories - a lot of bones, human and animal - vague mention of severing of limbs - specific body horror: skin coming off the body, soft bones, jumbled up humanoid bodiesshadowykittenwizard's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
swhite4's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Moderate: Animal death