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iamaprettyflower'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Death, Drug use, Violence, Infidelity, Murder, Alcohol, Child death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Blood, Classism, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Self harm
placeholder13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Murder, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Torture, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Rape, Misogyny, and Alcohol
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
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Premise was quite good, but the execution suffered. It dragged in the middle and the wrap up at the end wasn’t very satisfying because it left so many questions unanswered.
Minor: Cursing, Sexism, Stalking, Drug use, Misogyny, Torture, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Ableism, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Body horror, Murder, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Rape, Self harm, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Death, Dysphoria, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
jess_tries2read'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
The story starts in the most dramatic way possible: a consciousness in a body they don't remember, nor do they remember anything else, except one name, Anna. This character is dragged into a neverending whirlwind of events once he sees a woman sprinting through the forest crying for help. Eventually he ends up a Blackheath, a blighted estate that once held prestige, until it was marred by the death of one of the Hardcadtle children 19 years ago.
The unique mystery had me in its grip until it ended.
5/5
Graphic: Child death, Suicide, and Blood
Minor: Body horror, Classism, and Sexual harassment
blewballoon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Alcohol, Classism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Drug abuse
nikimorr'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
4.5
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
annareads97'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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Classism, Murder, and Violence
breadbummer'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
jenbertface's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
Moderate: Fatphobia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Child death
Minor: Grief, Infidelity, Suicide, Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Rape, and Self harm