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j_day's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Blood, Suicide, Alcoholism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Alcohol, Sexism, Self harm, Grief, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Animal cruelty
vagrantheather's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
There were a lot of plot devices I disliked. Death's fascination with (and interference on behalf of) our MC feels like grooming. A wealthy orphan girl being passed along to a home full of constant ribald parties - unlikely, given the time period, but plausible for a smutty regency book. However it doesn't go there - it ISN'T a smutty regency book where our innocent young heroine finds herself in a scandalous situation. So it feels unnecessarily edgy on part of the author.
The garden fiasco and overall vibe (mansion estate, ghosts, death, a sexy servant boy) summon The Secret Garden. And I love TSG! But the garden ends up being basically unnecessary. There's some waffley excuse that spirits can't communicate well when removed from their place of (death? Burial? Can't recall), but the whole "ahh I must find this secret garden then KILL MYSELF to gain entry" was so unnecessary. Surely the spirit could talk to you from, idk, the other side of the wall? And could you really not think of a single other way to enter a locked garden than by poisoning yourself to summon death's powers of intangibility? Maybe try looking under a rock for the key? Or ask the servant for a key? Or look for a key in the mansion? Maybe try scaling a nearby tree? Maybe stand on the horse's back to hop over? So many options that don't require summoning your professed enemy.
I was very disappointed by the author's tendency to distinguish characters by hair and skin color. The characters were mostly thin/flat.
The author puts in place a mechanism for Signa to play God by taking one life to spare another, but ultimately does very little with this theme. She was essentially A-OK with having murdered an old aunt to spare her young cousin. Sure, she didn't know what she was doing, but after finding out her power the guilt was a short lived thing, easily shrugged off. Flimsy.
It's an enjoyable read, but shallowly developed and ultimately forgettable.
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Murder, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Terminal illness
Minor: Self harm, Death of parent, and Sexual content
calicat42'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Self harm, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
lakinglaze's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Death, Terminal illness, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Suicide, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship
hopkinsa3's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Death of parent, Vomit, and Grief
microbemom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Death, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Self harm, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
xoxlululuxox'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? It's complicated
4.75
This story is everything I could have wanted. I love books that feature Death as a person, especially when it is done in this manner. I loved his character, and the relationship he and Signa formed throughout the story. The mystery surrounding Blythe, Signa's cousin, was also intriguing and had me guessing until the very end.
The idea that Signa has the powers of Death is also super interesting. We still don't know much about how or why, and it makes me look forward to the next books in the series to find out, but at the same time, it felt like one of the only mysteries that would carry forward.
As much as I loved this book from the start, I am a little disappointed in the ending. The story was pretty much wrapped up within the main chapters of this book; the main mystery solved and other than the lingering questions of 'how did Signa get her gift' and 'what happened at Foxglove' we aren't left with much to carry on to the next book... until the epilogue which introduces more questions. But still, I feel that having the book end reasonably neatly and requiring an epilogue to continue is not 'enough'.
This is my only complaint though, and as much as I personally don't enjoy this structure, I really did love the rest of the book, and the writing style. It was absolutely beautiful, and the cover really sells it.
Moderate: Violence, Vomit, Self harm, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Grief, Death, Blood, Terminal illness, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
margaret_k30's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Abandonment, Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Murder, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Gore
anoelle896's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Grief, Chronic illness, Blood, Gore, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Physical abuse, Classism, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Self harm, Violence, Vomit, Body shaming, and Alcohol
katesmars's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Pedophilia, Death, Grief, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Self harm