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cinderrunner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The only reason it isn't 5☆ is that the flow and pacing does feel really confusing when you start and that makes it hard to get into the real flow things and understand the plot. I also take issue with the author choosing to make her sadistic and extremel sexually driven (and perverted) serial killer a gay man (when the stereotype has always been that they are predators). Especially given that this novel was written/published on close to the end of the aids epidemic when gay men were being treated even more vilified than normal. Even if Oates did not intentionally mean to create such a dangerous stereotype I cannot believe that she wasn't at least subconsciously biased by homophobia when writing.
Definitely worth checking trigger warnings.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Child death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Stalking, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gore, and Sexual content
helen_is's review against another edition
Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Rape, and Kidnapping
tailwhip's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
bofadeez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Rape, Murder, Pedophilia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Gore
matilda_oops's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Torture
thaatswhatsheread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture