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belovediris's review against another edition
4.0
What a gem this one turned out to be! I had no idea what to expect going in, horror doesn’t typically mix well with my idea of a good read, but this story changed my mind in the best of ways. I especially loved not only the diversity of the characters but also the diversity of monsters not typically written about when Fae are involved. Read it. You won’t regret it.
eddavzz's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
heresthepencil's review against another edition
4.0
rep: achillean mc with anxiety, Filipino achillean mc, sapphic mc, Black lesbian mc, hijabi side character, Black side character, nonbinary side character
tw: magic requiring self-harm, gore, blood, drowning
i love thomas, my most dramatic son, and also his actual hungarian name (tamás) isn't hard to pronounce, it basically only differs in the last sound & the accent, thanks for coming to my ted talk
tw: magic requiring self-harm, gore, blood, drowning
i love thomas, my most dramatic son, and also his actual hungarian name (tamás) isn't hard to pronounce, it basically only differs in the last sound & the accent, thanks for coming to my ted talk
adavidson37's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I’ve been lowkey hesitant to read this book, just because I’m not a horror fan, but my love for Ban Gilmartin won out. Its honestly not as horror-esque as I was expecting. It almost feels like an adult, more extreme version of The House In The Cerulean Sea, and I loved every minute of it. I finished this book thismorning and I desperately wish it wasn’t over yet. It keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time, its so hard to put down- I blew through it so fast. Ban Gilmartin has a way of making you fall in love with the characters they write, like they’re your own family, but also pieces of yourself. They’re all so real and raw. I wouldn’t be mad if this book someday got a sequel
booksofhenry's review
4.0
THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE COMFORT BOOK!!
i loved the setting (it definitely made me want to visit some obscure scottish island) and all this diverse rep. friendship is such an important topic here and it melted my heart: it is not seen as something lesser than romantic love and i love how the characters managed to create this lovely found family during their quest, how their mutual trust was supposed to be built and cultivated. as a queer man with anxiety, thomas is one of the most relatable characters i've ever encountered — reading about him almost felt like looking into a mirror; his manners, his insecurities, his legit fears to face a past that frightens him and later his undying loyalty, everything about him hit close to home, and seeing people learning to love his not-always-easy personality made me feel not completely helpless.
some things i didn't love — isla's personality was kinda obnoxious sometimes but overall i appreciated her growth. i am also not a fan of choral books written in first person: it tells you TOO MUCH and sometimes stories need to have an unreliable source, especially when it comes to mystery. i would have preferred not knowing anything about owen's thoughts and more of what the hell happens to him at the end. like, seriously, where has he gone?? the author seems to forget about him after a certain point, a moment that could have been very climatic if only shown.
but yeah in the end i still managed to love this book.
i loved the setting (it definitely made me want to visit some obscure scottish island) and all this diverse rep. friendship is such an important topic here and it melted my heart: it is not seen as something lesser than romantic love and i love how the characters managed to create this lovely found family during their quest, how their mutual trust was supposed to be built and cultivated. as a queer man with anxiety, thomas is one of the most relatable characters i've ever encountered — reading about him almost felt like looking into a mirror; his manners, his insecurities, his legit fears to face a past that frightens him and later his undying loyalty, everything about him hit close to home, and seeing people learning to love his not-always-easy personality made me feel not completely helpless.
some things i didn't love — isla's personality was kinda obnoxious sometimes but overall i appreciated her growth. i am also not a fan of choral books written in first person: it tells you TOO MUCH and sometimes stories need to have an unreliable source, especially when it comes to mystery. i would have preferred not knowing anything about owen's thoughts and more of what the hell happens to him at the end. like, seriously, where has he gone?? the author seems to forget about him after a certain point, a moment that could have been very climatic if only shown.
but yeah in the end i still managed to love this book.
wumings's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
parisakamali's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i've wanted to read this since 2020 and i finally got to buy my own copy! it did not disappoint at all.
i loved the characters and their different personalities and dynamics. i loved how competently the simple plot was executely and how remarkably balanced the book was written. though i think i loved the atmosphere more than any aspect in this novel— it's so chilly, mysterious, and cold. maybe it's because i also read this at the right time (when it is also chilly and rainy), but i thought it was brilliant.
i loved the characters and their different personalities and dynamics. i loved how competently the simple plot was executely and how remarkably balanced the book was written. though i think i loved the atmosphere more than any aspect in this novel— it's so chilly, mysterious, and cold. maybe it's because i also read this at the right time (when it is also chilly and rainy), but i thought it was brilliant.