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yomireads's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A darkly compelling introduction to this YA series. Part murder mystery/whodunit, part supernatural monster hunter I found the protagonists uniquely compelling in his plight to embrace just the right amount of a darkness inside himself. After finishing this book and learning it had a sequel there was no hesitation. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Stalking, Violence, and Mental illness
Moderate: Torture and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse
elly29's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is certainly an interesting premise: a sociopath who fights against his desire to become a serial killer, and who instead uses his knowledge to solve a string of murders.
This felt like a first novel, definitely. I listened to the version John Allen Nelson narrates. (Apparently, Kirby Heyborne's version is supposed to be really good.) I was turned off in the first few chapters, because Nelson's narration was gratingly similar to Will Wheaton's narration of "Ready Player One," which I loathed (I also loathed the writing). The books have in common a whiny, angry, angsty teenage boy who hates the world around him. And, they also have some mary-sue levels of self-control and self-discipline.
But, things took a turn, and here be spoilers.
I didn't realize that this book hadan element or fantasy to it, ie the murderer is a demon . So, that was a fun surprise. Shame on me for going purely on my friend's recommendation and not reading the synopsis. Had the book not had some level of the fantastical to it, I think I would've liked it a lot less. I could chew on something other than the main character's one-dimensionality.
I think a book like this is important in that it really gets inside the head of a sociopath (and perhaps if one is a sociopath, it signals what one should not do, such as not stalk the girl you have a crush on). Again, interesting premise. Rather creepy.
Oh, and an early scene describes in-detail the process of embalming in a mortuary. I had to skip over a lot of that.
This felt like a first novel, definitely. I listened to the version John Allen Nelson narrates. (Apparently, Kirby Heyborne's version is supposed to be really good.) I was turned off in the first few chapters, because Nelson's narration was gratingly similar to Will Wheaton's narration of "Ready Player One," which I loathed (I also loathed the writing). The books have in common a whiny, angry, angsty teenage boy who hates the world around him. And, they also have some mary-sue levels of self-control and self-discipline.
But, things took a turn, and here be spoilers.
I didn't realize that this book had
I think a book like this is important in that it really gets inside the head of a sociopath (and perhaps if one is a sociopath, it signals what one should not do, such as not stalk the girl you have a crush on). Again, interesting premise. Rather creepy.
Oh, and an early scene describes in-detail the process of embalming in a mortuary. I had to skip over a lot of that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Gore, Domestic abuse, Death, and Animal cruelty
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