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whimsicalish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Not at all where I thought the story was going to end, but I'm glad I picked it up.
Graphic: Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Eating disorder, Murder, Death of parent, Trafficking, Bullying, and Classism
leneso_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, and Blood
meat_muffin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Body horror, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fatphobia, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Murder, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, and Alcohol
meghan's review
- 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: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Blood, Bullying, Pedophilia, and Eating disorder
anntharai'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
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Self harm, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Xenophobia, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Death, Sexism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Classism, Confinement, Eating disorder, and Medical trauma
vikie_vi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Vomit, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Gun violence, Bullying, Self harm, and Animal cruelty
lynnw'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
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Gore, Antisemitism, Body horror, Vomit, Gaslighting, Blood, Murder, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Pedophilia
aimeemg155's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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: Violence, Blood, Death, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Classism, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Alcohol
cepbreed's review
- 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
4.5
"People want to ruin things that are clean and new. It's no fun stamping through old dirty snow."
“You would rather me eat your heart than look away in disgust?”
“Of course,” he breathed. “Every time.”
Ava Reid surprised me. Her detailed and atmospheric prose still hit the same sweet spots as in The Wolf and the Woodsman, but somehow Juniper & Thorn is vastly better. I'm trying desperately to pinpoint what exactly made her sophomore publication so much better and I'm not coming up with anything substantial. The characters were more compelling and I found myself falling for Sevas alongside Marlinchen. Parallelly, as she bloomed under his eye I found myself liking her more and more. Reid's worldbuilding was already impressive in The Wolf and the Woodsman, but she worked magic with an even smaller setting. Somehow constraining her descriptions to one estate (+occasional traipsing around the city) allowed her writing style to really shine. Everything flourished on the page and my immersion was heightened tenfold. Her attention to detail never fails to amaze. I'm not a dancer, but I know exactly what happens to professional dancers' feet, so her mentioning this feature of Sevas was wonderful to see. Oh my god, that exact scene was so UGH. Sevas embodies perfection, strength, and beauty. He exposed his shame to Marlinchen and she never once patronized him, only offering her unconditional acceptance no matter how stupid being insecure of your feet is when you're the principal dancer of a famous ballet.
I vanquish all reviews accusing this book of being "gross" or "overly sexualized." Those people just cannot understand how much Marlinchen means to the girls. To love someone/thing so much you need to consume it. To choose to put your head down and labor for the sake of others. To be pushed to your limits by that tolerance. If you've watched Yellowjackets you'll understand. She embodies girlhood. She is a woman forced to toil at the will of her father and thank him when he punishes her. She is looked down upon by those who are supposed to love her the most (her sisters) and still offers them only compliance. She got everything she deserved in the end and I completely stand behind her. Every woman has imagined that turning point, the one where they finally snap. Nothing was more satisfying to me than watching Marlinchen have that moment.
Ava Reid is the queen of Ethel Cain connoted books.
Songs:
- Strangers - Ethel Cain
- notre dame - Paris Paloma
- illicit affairs - Taylor Swift
Graphic: Classism, Antisemitism, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Eating disorder, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
Moderate: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Violence, Medical content, Alcoholism, Vomit, Alcohol, and Body shaming
Minor: Pedophilia
oceanic_rabbit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The plot is brilliant, almost everything falls into place as the book draws to a close.
However, the constant breast imagery and a fixation on virginity etc was a little disconcerting and distracting at times. I want to benefit of the doubt though and say it was maybe an element of the dark tale to make you squirm.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Violence, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, and Bullying