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looseleafellie's review against another edition
5.0
This was a quick and thought-provoking read! I love main characters who are kind of nasty people, and Evelyn is no exception. Really, there are no good people in this book, but I loved the exploration of how people’s bad behaviors can stem from the way people have treated them.
This is, on the surface, a story about misogyny. The way Evelyn’s husband creates a partner to his own specifications mirrors the way that misogyny is often rooted in the desire to make women conform to the standards men and society have set for them.
However, the ethical issues explored in the story go deeper than that. The main plot of Evelyn trying to work with her clone to cover up her husband’s death is interspersed with flashbacks to Evelyn’s own childhood. The parallels between the way people treat Evelyn’s clone and the way Evelyn’s father treated her mother raise some interesting questions about not just misogyny, but about nature vs nurture, how people can change depending on the amount of agency they’re afforded, and what counts as the “real” version of someone.
The ending of the book doesn’t fully tie up many of the moral questions inherent in the story, but that leaves the reader open to fill in some of the blanks themselves. Overall, if you’re in the mood for something dark, speculative, cerebral, and quietly thriller-like, you might want to check this out!
CWs: Murder, blood, misogyny, loss of bodily autonomy, domestic abuse recounted, cheating, vomit.
Spice level: None.
Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, and Vomit
Moderate: Murder, Infidelity, and Domestic abuse
lilybear3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Murder, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Rape
bookrokosmos'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? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Murder, Death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Body horror
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Emotional abuse
therainbowshelf'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Medical content
Demanding a woman get pregnant, sexism in scienceraekit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, and Body horror
plantedjess'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
Moderate: Murder, Pregnancy, Death, Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood, Infidelity, and Abortion
dejaghoul's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
christineparkerco's review against another edition
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Blood, Infidelity, and Gore
paperknotbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Blood, and Confinement
catandherbooks's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Child abuse
Minor: Death of parent