Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

59 reviews

3mmers's review

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

My review of the previous book in the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy was that it was more of the same but with more frustrating characters and a less good plot. Well here we go again because As Good as Dead has the same good ideas and great presentation but this time with poor pacing in addition to the characters and plot.
I’ll be candid: I hated this. I hated it so much it made me question why I ever liked the first one at all.
One of the things that had really impressed me about the first book was its excellent pacing. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a case study plotting that sees protagonist Pippa discovering a new lead or a breakthrough in the case at the exact moment she exhausts the last one. This was still present in the sequel, in spite of a much more challenging premise. By the conclusion it’s like the good pacing never existed at all. This book is way too long. Basically nothing happens in its first half (and the character choice of Pippa fucking losing it has escape the typical quarantine zone of the climax to infest this section too). At the halfway mark we see the midpoint twist , which is, in fairness, pretty good. I enjoyed about a fifth of the book around here.
Unfortunately this improvement lulled me into a false sense of security and As Good as Dead ends with the worst trope out there:

the ‘I had to abandon/lie/isolate myself… to protect you!’  Brother EWWWWWWW. It’s a condescending, manipulative, and shitty thing to tell someone, and it never convinces me that it would be more effective than the characters teaming up.

The thing I liked about the first two books was the way they subverted the trope of the teen detective going it alone by showing how Pippa’s communication with others was a key part of her personality and her mystery solving technique. Without that element, without the good pacing and interesting character choices, what is there left for me to like? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Kidnapping

ellarae0111's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

Amazing end to an amazing series

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Suicide, Abandonment, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Rape, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Grief, Hate crime, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Vomit, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Self harm, and Sexism

teddy_books's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Confinement, Drug use, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, and Addiction

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexism, Cursing, and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty

febber's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Stalking, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Addiction, Vomit, and Sexism

Minor: Sexual assault and Rape

megnicgeo's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Gore and Drug abuse

Minor: Sexism

I couldn’t put it down. Finished in one day.

sahramahtab's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"As Good As Dead" by Holly Jackson concludes the series with unexpected twists that kept me hooked. Initially unsure of the direction in the beginning of the third book, the moment Pip realizes she has a stalker becomes a riveting turning point, making it impossible to put the book down.

The justice served in the story felt satisfying, a stark contrast to the shortcomings often seen in the real world. Pip, with her intelligence and courage, emerges as a likable and admirable character. Sweet Ravi adds charm to their dynamic duo, and their teamwork is truly enjoyable. The theme of friendships and found family throughout the series is heartwarming and adds depth to the narrative.

The ending, while confusing, doesn't diminish the overall enjoyment. The decision

to cut everyone out of Pip's life felt unnecessary given the lack of evidence against her.

Regardless, the book is a compelling read, and the series as a whole is a testament to Jackson's storytelling prowess. I look forward to Holly Jackson's future projects.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Confinement, Kidnapping, Sexism, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Stalking

dielesemotte's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• 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

2.75

Nachdem ich die ersten beiden Bände ja wirklich verschlungen habe, tut es mir fast weh, den dritten Band mit weniger als 3 Sternen zu bewerten. Aber letztendlich fehlte mir hier genau das, was ich an den ersten beiden Bänden so mochte: Die Ermittlung und das Miträtseln. Ich wusste nach ca. zwei Hinweisen, wer der Mörder ist, während Pip vollkommen überrascht von dieser Wendung war.
Zudem hat es sich gerade in der Mitte meiner Meinung nach sehr gezogen.
Alles in allem ein etwas enttäuschender Abschluss.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Blood, and Murder

mone1313's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Stalking, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexism

jmads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

I like the series ended well and it was all interconnected - also the focus on the mental health impact of traumatic experiences and relationships (listened to 60% as audio book) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Kidnapping, and Violence

Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault

theil_ma's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Blood, Addiction, and Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Misogyny, Sexism, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Vomit