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simonlorden's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A very twisty and interesting story.
cw: Fatphobia. there is an overweight character who is described in very disgusting terms over the book.
cw: Fatphobia. there is an overweight character who is described in very disgusting terms over the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Sexual assault
issamay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Fatphobia, Classism, Child death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual assault
ruthiethetoothie's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Physical abuse, Fatphobia, Blood, and Body shaming
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child death, and Body horror
vivmorris's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
my mind also feels fractured and overcrowded (in a good way)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Body horror, Blood, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
abbeyroad1410's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm going to be thinking about this book for awhile. I can honestly say I have read nothing like it and for that reason alone, I highly recommend it. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is extraordinarily campy and left me with more questions than answers.
One of my fascinations has always been with time loops, so it was fun to see one in this novel and explore the concept of whether our actions actually affect time or if what happens once is bound to be repeated over and over again. The novel looks at both theories at times which makes it super interesting.
Stuart Turton also does a wonderful job of exploring the different hosts disabilities as well as their strengths. Where hosts may have physical impairments or a harsh background, the main character also uplifted and emphasized parts of the hosts that were helpful.
Additionally, the novel has a very hopeful message and tone to it despite the dark themes and concepts it explores. The hopeful ending and tone make getting through what can be a tedious novel (simply because of the twists and turns and time jumps) so worth it at the end.
Overall, I feel completely fulfilled by the ending and still pondering some of the world-building elements. I have so many unanswered questions including in what time period was this even taking place? Yet, not having these answers adds to the overall mysterious and foreboding nature of the story.
One of my fascinations has always been with time loops, so it was fun to see one in this novel and explore the concept of whether our actions actually affect time or if what happens once is bound to be repeated over and over again. The novel looks at both theories at times which makes it super interesting.
Stuart Turton also does a wonderful job of exploring the different hosts disabilities as well as their strengths. Where hosts may have physical impairments or a harsh background, the main character also uplifted and emphasized parts of the hosts that were helpful.
Additionally, the novel has a very hopeful message and tone to it despite the dark themes and concepts it explores. The hopeful ending and tone make getting through what can be a tedious novel (simply because of the twists and turns and time jumps) so worth it at the end.
Overall, I feel completely fulfilled by the ending and still pondering some of the world-building elements. I have so many unanswered questions including in what time period was this even taking place? Yet, not having these answers adds to the overall mysterious and foreboding nature of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
ekclar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, and Infidelity
nerdy_reader_9571's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The first 100 pages read like an old video game where you have to solve a search and find puzzle to advance to the next piece of the story. I kept imagining poorly rendered characters with blocky movements and cut to black transitions. Once the story really started, though, I thought it was pretty entertaining.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fatphobia, Classism, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
cheye13's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The first half of this felt like a very promising murder mystery with a little supernatural twist. It initially seemed that the main character would get over the "rules" and piece together clues over the course of the book. Unfortunately, the back half dropped the ball. The supernatural stuff took over and pieces of the mystery(s) were either dropped, glossed over, or tied up way too conveniently. The premise was promising, but this story tried to hard to be both genres, instead of picking one main one and sprinkling the second genre for flavor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Animal death, Gore, Medical content, Stalking, Grief, and Gun violence
Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, Kidnapping, Addiction, and Drug abuse
the fatphobia is egregious; it's my reading that it's internalized fatphobia, as it's contained to the chapters in which the main character inhabits the fat persona, intended to exemplify the effect the different hosts' personalities have on the main character, but is still very tactlessly written, and is sustained through a significant portion of the book.biesterba's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
2.5
A book that has difficulty deciding what it wants to be. With the whimsical “invitation,” map, and title, one would think this was going to be a very PBS British murder mystery on a country estate. But, with a legitimately terrifying footman, some slashings, a rapist, a child murder, and someone’s head getting blown to bits by a shotgun, it wants to be a psychological thriller. But, then again, with time travel, alternate realities, and Plague Doctors running amok, it wants to be fantasy. What it ends up being is a mess.
To be fair, there are moments of good writing and clever turns of phrase, but. It enough to help it past the baffling and relentless fat phobia, the shallow way women are portrayed, and the flimsiness of the premise that all these people are assembled in one place for… a memorial? A public shaming? A costume party?
To be fair, there are moments of good writing and clever turns of phrase, but. It enough to help it past the baffling and relentless fat phobia, the shallow way women are portrayed, and the flimsiness of the premise that all these people are assembled in one place for… a memorial? A public shaming? A costume party?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Child death and Gore
Minor: Sexual assault
fresica's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Murder
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Drug use
Minor: Sexual assault
During one character pov, previous sexual assault that he perpetuated is referenced. Nothing is explicitly described, but it is a known and discussed aspect of his character.