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aseel_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Incest, and Racism
lue_moon'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
It also is not a perfect book and I'm sure not for everyone. It does have a slow build, some characters that I viciously hated (rightfully so), some potential plot holes, and a couple things left unanswered or that I wish got to be expanded upon. And still something about it struck a chord with me.
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism and Classism
Minor: Incest and Slavery
mpbookreviews's review
- 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
Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
gardens_and_dragons's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
Very brief mention of incest by way of marriage in 1800s. Nothing graphic.livlamentloathe's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
I also wanted more of the book to touch on the racism Jasper faced in Eden. I wanted Jasper to better scold Opal for the way she ignored about that part of him. She made a comment later on that alluded to her getting it in part. But she also definitely was very forgetful of his race. The book itself barely even acknowledged his race. It took until the middle of the book for me to determine his ethnicity - maybe that's my bad and I missed an early tell. But I think overall, this book wanted to hide details and it didn't always handle that well. It would be evasive and add extra page time instead of being a bit more upfront about things. Maybe that was purposeful too with Opal's personality. But it felt like it was just trying too hard.
The premise felt like a cross between The Hazel Wood and Book of Night. I thought it was meant to be horror, but it wasn't horror so much as gothic. More of a magical realism/low fantasy romance. This book could've been great but I think it needed further editing and less evasive plot points. I get it. Most details were meant for "reveals" later but it became excessive when I got lost wondering what the point of the book was. Or what was going on period.
P.S. I'd have loved more of a violent ending for the Gravely family and Elizabeth Bane.
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
While the main characters are morally grey, I couldn’t help but root for them, for their ‘will they won’t they’ and for the house itself.
This book is exactly what I needed/wanted the book to be. And I do love a book with some footnotes and illustrations. I will most likely re-read and annotate in the future.
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Blood
orizenda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Incest, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
ciwanski's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Loved the homage to beauty and the beast in the story, love the found family aspect, and love a man who is constantly kneeling for a woman
Also the first book I’ve read where the two main characters are supposedly ugly??? Felt (surprisingly?) represented.
I feel like this review makes this book sound like a romance and, like, it IS a love story, but it’s definitely not a romance and I love it for that
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
blacksphinx'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Deportation
Once again, why doesn't Storygraph have a "drowning" warning???noblelandmermaid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Incest, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail