Scan barcode
anna_reads_too_much's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Alcohol
helliepad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
What I love most about the stories is how kind it is to women, and the relationships they formed. The main characters have been assassins for over four decades. I love the little bits of history, of grief from dead people and love at the wrong time. There are sexually active old women, a heavily pregnant woman in charge of heavy operations, a teenage girl doing her best, a childless woman who survived their partner, a childless woman with her wife and their cat, a childless woman who chose career over love— and they weren't shamed by the narrative for their characters. Indeed, there weren't any serious academic discussions about sexism and misogyny and ageism although the women do experience it, and yet it doesn't matter because that's not the point of the book.
The point of the book was to show these senior citizens bludgeon and lie and cheat and work together to get their rightful pensions– and the book delivers beautifully on that end. 👏
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Blood and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Sexism
sleeson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Misogyny, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Alcohol, and Cursing
uranaishi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Body shaming, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Cursing, Death, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Medical content
Minor: Toxic relationship, Animal death, Car accident, Chronic illness, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Cancer, Rape, Self harm, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Torture, and War
xeniba's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment, Misogyny, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy, Alcohol, Cancer, and Fatphobia
kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Stalking, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Murder, Torture, Alcohol, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer, Forced institutionalization, and Homophobia
purplepenning's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Alcohol, and Blood
Minor: Cancer and Pregnancy
torturedreadersdept'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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Violence, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, and Stalking
Moderate: Abandonment and Alcohol
Minor: Antisemitism and Lesbophobia
emmdashed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
The story is executed well, it hits the beats you're looking for with this type of fiction, and does them well. The stakes are high, but the characters are smart and capable and ready to take them on. I enjoyed the dialogue and interactions of the characters. Perhaps not the most unique story but there was plenty to keep it fresh and entertaining.
My main criticism is that the book is told only from Billie's POV (with a little bit of omniscient narrator in some flashbacks). To be honest, I found Billie to be the least compelling of the main characters. I wish we could have had the story told from multiple POVs. I would have loved to hear how Mary-Alice, Natalie, and Helen were recruited; about their lives as assassins; and how they are emotionally handling the events of the actual book.
Still, all that being said I would still recommend this one if you want an assassin thriller with Heist elements, and older lady protagonists (a disappointing rarity in this kind of fiction.)
@Hollywood seriously though make this movie.
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Cancer
3arth2kaye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Murder, Cursing, Gore, and Gun violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer and Death