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remescient'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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual violence, Child death, Murder, Sexual assault, Torture, Classism, Animal death, Gun violence, Suicide, and Confinement
meganm1587'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Animal death and Drug abuse
Minor: Ableism
jadeyfish's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, and Child death
Minor: Animal death
cozyfantasyfaetay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Fatphobia, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide
Minor: Classism, Gore, Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child death
crimsonsparrow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.75
I was especially intrigue by the author's ingenious use of a unique, first-person narrative and meta-narrative. It had both both a science fiction feel and a psychological thrill without compromising the best character qualities of the MC.
The only reason it's not a perfect 5: I would have liked some of the details to be more meticulous. Some things that seemed important up-front ended up a tad slap-dash in the end. It got a little rushed at the end. And the final explanation was not terribly well-supported or as well-developed as so many other aspects of the story. I absolutely recommend it, though, if for nothing else than novelty's sake
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, Animal death, Child death, and Gun violence
heini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Fatphobia, Confinement, Alcohol, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Blood, Sexual violence, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug use, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, and Stalking
nikimorr'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? Yes
4.5
The setting is just as creative and incredible as the character concept - Blackheath House, a mansion crumbling to the ground. A party with the exact same guests as those 19 years prior - when the hosts’ son was murdered during the party. We never quite know when or where in the world this party all takes place, leaving it all up to the imagination. Totally original and unique!
By the end, admittedly, it can feel difficult to keep all the details straight; however, the author is kind enough to add extra reminders throughout about who someone is or a detail I’d forgotten. With the last few perspectives, it is almost impossible to completely keep up with every detail, but you realize it does not matter - it’ll all come together, and the author is intentionally keeping you, the reader, in the dark for the big finale.
I was definitely cheering for our main character to solve it all by the end. One thing remains clear - he is a good person. But was he always a good person?
SPOILERS AHEAD - My favorite part about the ending is not learning exactly what happened to Evelyn Hardcastle as it is learning why Aiden and Anna are there. What a concept for a PRISON! And for Aiden, it really is a prison, and you feel it with him throughout the book. Learning that Anna, who Aiden comes to love and trust is truly his enemy, is a true thinking moment for the reader. Can people change? Are some people worth saving even after committing horrible crimes? What really is our true nature? One thing that stuck with me is that Aiden finally succeeded in solving the mystery when he truly was a kind and good person throughout - maybe the good guys do win in the end.
Graphic: Child death, Classism, Death, Murder, and Confinement
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Alcohol, Stalking, and Animal death
samisreading's review
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Fatphobia, Animal death, Blood, and Gun violence
emory's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Laundry list of annoyances aside, it's a great version of those classic sorts of "big house, high society, dirty secrets" mysteries.
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, Fatphobia, Death, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Animal death
One character our narrator inhabits is described as very fat, and while in this body the narrator never stops talking about how disgusting and shameful it is and how he can barely move. It is very oversold and strongly implied thatbreadbummer'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
3.5
As far as content goes, whenever a cis man writes a book like this with not a few female characters in it, I expect a "she breasted boobily down the stairs" moment to show itself before too terribly long or at least for pretty much all the women to fall for the central male character (no matter how strongly they're written) but, to my pleasant surprise, I don't ever actually remember this happening. HOWEVER!!! If you're particularly sensitive to fatphobia, don't bother even touching this book, much less opening it up. The rather long section in which the main character goes through the day as Ravencourt is punctuated pretty much every sentence or two with disgust of the host's body. It got to be so uncomfortable that I almost dropped the book entirely if it weren't for the fact that I was behind on my reading goal.
I just finished it like half an hour ago, so my take on the ending might still need some time to cook, but I think I enjoyed it. I certainly got got about who the culprit ended up being (which took me some time to appreciate more), and I thought the idea of this whole scenario of Blackheath being kind of like
Graphic: Death, Fatphobia, Murder, Child death, Suicide, Body shaming, Stalking, and Classism
Moderate: Self harm, Gun violence, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault, Drug use, Animal death, Rape, Car accident, Blood, and Body horror