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nrogers_1030's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Cursing, Gore, Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement and Alcohol
Minor: Pedophilia, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Racism, Dementia, Suicide, Cancer, and Fire/Fire injury
amanda_reads89'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Xenophobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Gore
Minor: Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Slavery, Rape, and Sexual assault
teaandbooksnuggery'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
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Murder, Violence, Blood, Hate crime, Suicide, and Medical content
mollified_moments's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
In *The Gathering,* C.J. Tudor weaves a riveting story set in rural Alaska, mixing murder mystery, police procedural, and a touch of horror. Detective Barbara Atkins is a refreshing protagonist—a plus-size, slightly out-of-shape woman who is intelligent, empathetic, and unafraid to stand up for what's right. It's nice to see a lead character who defies typical stereotypes and feels more relatable. She also loves to eat, which is refreshing—just not reindeer, lol!
Jenson Tucker, a former sheriff and Atkins' ally in the investigation, adds depth to the story with his complex history and knowledge of the town's dark past. He was definitely one of my favorite characters in the book.
Atkins' investigation into a gruesome crime leads her to Deadhart, a small town dealing with old fears and deep-seated prejudice against the vampyr colony living in the nearby woods. At its core, this book is about racism—only in this case, the victims are the vampyr colony who face prejudice because they're different from the townspeople. The townspeople’s suspicion and bigotry toward them mirror modern-day issues of discrimination.
The pace of the novel is fast, with multiple twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. The threat level continues to rise, making it a gripping page-turner as you try to second guess what happens next. It's creepy, eerie, and macabre in places, ramping up the danger and hysteria at every turn.
Tudor's unique blend of murder mystery and horror-lite made this novel captivating. It seems like the author left the book hinting at a sequel, and I’m eager to see what happens next!
Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, and Violence
ripxw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Violence and Gore
Minor: Pedophilia and Rape
amy_reading_23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I thought it was refreshing to have a middle aged plus sized lesbian protagonist and I mostly enjoyed her character, however I was dissapointed by one throw away comment towards the end that she should cut down on calories. I would love it if one day we could have a plus sized character who isn't told or isn't thinking about losing weight.
This book doesn't shy away from the heavy topics, and some content is quite explicit, so if you are worried about finding some things triggering then check out the content warnings first.
Graphic: Child death, Body horror, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Kidnapping
Minor: Body shaming, Torture, Violence, Gun violence, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Medical content, and Rape
tabby2920's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Death, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Gore, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Rape, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
dogearedbooks'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Gore, Murder, Death of parent, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Blood, and Car accident
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Rape, and Gun violence
morethanmylupus's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The thriller elements were great. I didn't even come close to guessing all the twists. The world-building was also incredibly well done with a lot of showing not telling and minimal info dumps.
I'm crossing my fingers that the ending means we might get a book 2, which would be incredible.
Graphic: Gun violence, Child death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Pedophilia and Child abuse