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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: Child death, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Blood
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Torture, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
turrean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Fatphobia, Gore, Suicide, Torture, and Suicide attempt
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, Confinement, Death, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Blood, Stalking, and Alcohol
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: Body shaming, Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Suicide, Stalking, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and Car accident
guessgreenleaf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement and Torture
lizziaha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.25
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, and Death of parent
throwback682'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Oh my God the fatphobia about Ravenscourt was BEYOND EGREGIOUS. I almost DNF’d over it. I wish the author would put out a revised edition without all that garbage. He explained the experience of suddenlytrippalli'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, and Alcohol
strawberrytheauthor'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? No
5.0
I tried making multiple guesses about the things that were going to happen in the book but I was often wrong. There were a lot of twists and turns and I definitely did not see the final twist coming.
When I started reading I thought it would be a four star book at most but it really delivered. When I got to the final day I was worried that all the plot holes would remain holes, but Turton made sure that everything got wrapped up in a neat, tidy bow.
I loved this book and would read it again.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Self harm, and Torture
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Medical 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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Most excitingly was that I constantly felt like I was the main character living each day as each new “host.” Since you only learn what the characters know, you have no choice but to get into the characters’ minds, experience what they’re each experiencing, and hope that the days aren’t wasted.
Incredibly immersive.
My only complaint is that the ending didn’t really feel connected to the rest of the book. Maybe if I went back to read it now I could see the signs and clues better, but sooo much information came out in the last few pages that I got a bit lost in how everything connected.
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism