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sabrinuh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt
m_e_ruzak's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, and Child death
kyraisaverage's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Self harm and Suicide attempt
courtney_elledge's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Suicide attempt
ziote'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
3.25
Seanen McGquire has a talent to write prose as if it were read like poetry. The writing is unconventional and dense, which is both a good thing (because this is a unique book and has some beautiful lines in it) but also a bad thing (it's a difficult and rather slow read). Seanen McGuire takes great care in interweaving plot lines with varying timelines. It's complex and impressive, but I think it can also be very hard to follow. I had to marathon read this book because I knew if I put it down for even more than a day or two, then I'd forget important details. And I wouldn't feel right talking about the writing without talking about the quotes and passages inserted in the beginning of some chapters that referenced Over the Wayward Wall by A. Deborah Baker. Deborah Baker is apparently a pen name of Seanan McGuire (which I only found out afterwards). I think it is a little odd to reference Over the Wayward Wall as this "great piece of literature that has been overshadowed by the likes of The Wizard of Oz, etc." when the author wrote both Middlegame and Over the Wayward Wall. Perhaps I found this egotistical, or perhaps I didn't like these quotes/passages from Over the Wayward Wall because I have never read that novel and felt as if I were missing something.
The characters also fell flat to me. We spend quite a great deal of time with Rodger and Dodger, and neither of them charmed me.
When together, Rodger and Dodger were fun and completed each, which is probably the point. However, by the 3rd messy separation (and I can't believe this plot device happened multiple times), I just did not care. I was tired and always waiting for the other shoe to drop and for them to spend another large amount of time not talking with one another. Separated or together again; either way I found that by the end of it, I could not give a damn.
This book is interesting and compelling and Seanen McGuire put a lot of thought into this ... but I really don't know if it's an enjoyable read
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
ahudd'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? It's complicated
1.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt
rebeccaxpaige'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
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Cursing, and Self harm
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt
its_madi's review
- 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: Suicide attempt and Self harm
je55ilo'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
4.25
I am not a horror fan, and the beginning of this book was almost too much for me (see content warnings), but I'm glad I stuck with it long enough to see Roger and Dodger grow up enough to have a fighting chance against the evil bearing down on them. Maguire knows how to keep you turning the pages.
Moderate: Death of parent, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Child abuse and Child death
milliemudd's review
3.25
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Violence, Death, Gore, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Physical abuse