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justbrett's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Dementia, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Child abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking
brittneyrz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual assault, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, and Confinement
lizzyf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Suicide, Pregnancy, Violence, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Sexual assault
hugsowls's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Pregnancy, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Trafficking, Torture, Suicide, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Slavery, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Death, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Grief, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, Bullying, and Blood
kitpotter's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Incest, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Dementia
wifeslife'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
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Self harm, Cancer, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Death, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Suicide, Sexual assault, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Dementia, and Injury/Injury detail
lukerik'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? No
4.0
Anyway, at one point a character gets a bit flustered and says:
‘Like, he got what it’s like, to be… what it feels like, not to be… like, to be different, you know?’
Beautifully observed. And when characters say ‘only’ with a silent l she writes it o’ny. If she’d gone for ony or on’y my eye would have seen it as a short o. We’re lucky to get this level of detail in a writer’s work. This book has been published by Hachette. There are a few typos but it’s pretty easy to work out which word is missing or substituted.
It’s not really a spoiler to say that in this one Robin goes undercover in a cult. It happens pretty early on, though this being a 1000 page book that’s a relative term. I found these chapters really tense. It was a relief when it would cut back to Strike. We’re not talking Sarah Waters levels of tense, but I’ve not seen Rowling maintain that level of danger-tension for so long before. Sexual tension, yes.
So the main theme of the novel appears to be social withdrawal. I can’t mention some of the big examples because it’d spoil the plot, but one big one would be the cult members withdrawing physically from their friends and family. Robin is in a sense withdrawing from Murphy by going undercover. Other withdrawals are via death, which is a very rude way of doing it if you ask me. Not all withdrawals are voluntary. Strike’s uncle for example cannot help his withdrawal as his mind collapses.
This brings us to the second bit theme, personal agency. To what extent are the cult members responsible for their withdrawal and actions generally when they’ve been brainwashed? It’s a very humane novel.
It’s also well balanced. In withdrawing into the cult, the members are also joining a new society, and in leaving the cult are re-entering the new one. The prime example of this social insertion, this leap of faith comes in the epilogue. Be careful what reviews you read before getting to it.
Graphic: Blood, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, Confinement, Slavery, Suicide, Child abuse, Child death, Bullying, Death, and Sexual assault
marlisenicole's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Cursing, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Torture, Dementia, Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
jhbandcats's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
This entry in the series is particularly horrific. I knew the part about Robin going undercover in a cult was going to be tense but I didn’t know it would be quite as terrifying as it was. I found myself consumed with dread as I read it and kept having to stop and pull back from the story.
I did have trouble keeping the relationships of the characters straight. There were a lot of people and parentage wasn’t always what the cult leaders claimed. The next time I read this I’ll make a cheat sheet so I can remember who’s who.
I’m already looking forward to the next in the series. I hope there are a lot more books to come.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, Trafficking, Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Bullying, Death, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture
madelaney'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? It's complicated
4.5
Minor: Pedophilia, Confinement, Addiction, Grief, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Torture, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Slavery, Pregnancy, Murder, Drug use, Violence, Death, Bullying, Blood, Abandonment, Child death, Self harm, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Cancer, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Mental illness