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alexiconic'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
4.5
but that was also frustrating. we got so lost in samantha's mind (which is an impressive writing feat, so clearly masterfully done), that it was incredibly hard to find the "point" of the story. the book feels like it has so much to say, so much that it can say, and i wish for there to be a "point" to it all. for the book, or the author, to tell me how to read it, how to interpret it. but maybe the beauty is in how multi-interpretable it is, in the end, and maybe the fact that i feel this frustration only means the writing is that good, because this is a book that i keep coming back to and re-thinking about.
Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Violence
hex_agon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Drug use, Murder, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Gore, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent and Rape
kijatai's review against another edition
- 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
I really liked the narrator, Sophie Amoss. I felt like I was in the head of the main character when she was narrating and I could easily picture all the different characters by the voices she used. Her voice is also soothing.
As for the story itself, I loved it. What I actually enjoyed about it was the psychology of the main character and the depiction of creative block and the depression that can be linked to it. I’m an artist and I could relate to some things she said. How we can feel like an impostor sometimes and feel blocked or not good enough and then craving a connection to others to get out of our self-made isolation but also not wanting to.
I liked how all Sam’s emotions : fear, uncertainty, desires… were represented. Without spoiling anything, I interpreted the rituals depicted (please check content warnings) in the book more as a representation of creativity and desire. And I thought it was really interesting.
It has strong dark academia vibes. Which I’m a sucker for. I like also exploring the mentality and struggles behind cults and this book definitely and intimately explores that. It has mean girl vibes and it was nice to see how the author explores the meaning of sisterhood, girlhood, love and desires.
The relationship between Ava and Sam was what kept me hooked. I hoped for more to be honest but I won’t spoil too much. I guess that their relationship is… complex.
I’m definitely gonna get a physical copy, re-read it and annotate the hell out of it.
Graphic: Blood, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Alcohol, Classism, Confinement, Death, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Bullying, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
emmarhian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Death
Moderate: Body horror and Animal death
Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
izypup'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
4.75
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Kidnapping, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Grief, Violence, Misogyny, Stalking, Drug use, Cursing, Alcohol, Murder, Blood, Body horror, and Gore
Minor: Animal death, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Vomit, Classism, Confinement, and Car accident
enyltiak's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Samantha, her imagination and creativity, and her fully-formed and fleshed out creations are juxtaposed with the work of the Bunnies and the trite nature of their stories—beautiful but lacking in depth and completion, not much beneath the shiny surface. Some of that's really on the nose (the diamond proems, my god!) but it's subtle enough under all the weird that some people will certainly miss it, especially other rich, pretentious artists who simply want to join the Bunnies on their mission.
The writing style was something I really enjoyed; you truly feel as though you are alongside Samantha for this wild trip, woozing in and out of understanding as she does, feeling her feelings. It felt as though it truly was written in Samantha's writing style, as though this was the prose she was working on throughout the timeline of the novel, at least based on the comments made by the Bunnies and Fosco in their Workshop. An undeniably fascinating entry in the "dark academia" canon.
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Alcohol, Blood, Violence, Body horror, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Drug use, Gore, Classism, Bullying, Animal cruelty, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Death of parent
rubystarkyy's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Murder, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Blood, Gaslighting, and Death
syd991's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Blood, and Animal death
trackingmothman's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Classism, Alcohol, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Cursing
Minor: Rape, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, and Violence
likeagilmoregirl'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
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gaslighting, Murder, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Bullying and Death of parent