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kyrstin_p1989'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
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Infertility, Medical content, Torture, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
magical_mads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Also, I hated how in the topic of rape was treated in this book. It felt like it was shoved in as a last minute plot twist. It should never be treated like that.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Stalking, Torture, Gaslighting, and Gore
Minor: Infertility, Rape, Abortion, and Sexual assault
books4em's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Medical content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Violence, Death, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Minor: Rape and Toxic relationship
booking_along'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
first -since that’s something i always have to mention and it’s one of the few times i have to applaud the author for her good work with it!- this book has french and german in it since it takes place in Switzerland and that make sense, and it’s very well done! both language where perfectly translated!
i have to be loud and happy about that because it’s sadly so rare to have a well done translation in a book but in this one? perfect! was it just a handful of moments throughout this entire book? yes. did i notice it anyways and how well it was done? yes! so high praise to the author for actually doing a good job with the details!
okay rest of the actual book!
the crime elements?
super interesting and very well timed and spaced out.
the entire setting and how the details how to all connects are so well done.
how the main character had her own struggles and how that work for and against her pretty equally and made her even more realistic and human-like.
i enjoy how this whole book was solved and wrapped up and the entire build up to it and all that, well done.
the book kept me second guessing who the bad guy is and why it is all happening? it made sense and while i didn’t really think anyone could have really followed all the clues and go the bad guy at the end of it with how this book as done up, that’s not a negative with how it was all wrapped up.
and the entire thing with the crappy masks? that just added to the entire creepiness throughout the book.
what i didn’t love was the plot point of elin‘s childhood and her brothers. i get that it added a layer to the character and it worked with her doubting herself and her ability to work as well as trusting in general but i also thing the entire Sam plot could have been skipped and it would haven’t made a large difference since Elin did have a traumatic work situation that would have worked just as well?
it wasn’t a huge deal but i didn’t love the entire plot point of Sam and how that was wrapped up.
i also didn’t see the necessity of the epilogue.
it’s just there to throw this huge question mark into it all or make the reader curious about the next installment of the series to see what’s going to happen with that.
and i see how that might work with some readers but i personally dislike that. i want crime/thriller/mystery series wrapped up in each book individually and just want to continue reading because the characters are so fantastic that i want to continue reading about them and keep coming back to them like meeting up with an old friend on a way.
i don’t need some kind of strange teaser thingy that makes me question what’s going on.
personal thing through.
overall?
this was great.
well written, well build up of tension and thrill with slight horrific elements thrown in and good characters.
if you want slower build up to your thrill and don’t mind a bit of jump scare and dangerous setting?
this is a great one!
Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death, Grief, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Rape, Toxic friendship, and Stalking
saraneyd's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Grief, Infertility, Rape, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Death
stephi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Gaslighting and Rape
Minor: Abortion
ekmook's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Blood, Confinement, Medical content, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexism
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Death of parent
parkerknoll'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Blood, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Torture, Gore, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual violence, Confinement, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Sexual harassment
bandysbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Torture, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Violence
scburhans'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
4.0
My biggest worry when starting this book was how Pearse was going to use the setting of the Sanatorium. Sanatoriums/Asylums are big staples in suspense and horror, so there are a lot of different ways for the setting to become tropey/unoriginal/uninteresting. I though that turning the sanatorium into a hotel added an interesting twist while adding a nice element of social horror as well - trying to (sometimes literally) whitewash the past. Similarly, I thought that most of the characters were really complex and compelling. There were a few things that confused me, but I'm assuming that's due to the cultural barrier going on here. The plot was paced well and engaging, and I think that Pearse added a lot of rich detail to her characters and world building. A also appreciated the little nods to actual sanatorium design as well as the rather colorful and often brutal histories of asylums around the world. For a debut book, I think it's really good!
I did have a few issues pertaining to the psychology of the suspects and perpetraitors. Some of their actions and ways they acted and reacted didn't make sense from a psychological perspective. They were common mistakes, but they still bugged me. Similarly, I had a few issues with details of the crime. I simply cannot find what type of respirator/mask the perpetraitor used anywhere on the internet. The closest thing I can find is a WWII era gas mask/respirator, but the tubing still connects to an outiside box, not the mask itself. I'm really curious as to if Pearse made that device up or if it's actually based on a real respirator that I can't seem to find. There were a lot of horrifying looking devices used back then that would have worked for a signature, so I find it a bit odd that she (seemlingly) chose to make something up instead. It's a small detail, but it still pulled me out of the story a bit.
Overall, a pretty good book! I'd defintely reccommend it to my friends and I'll probably read it's upcoming sequel.
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Stalking, Sexual assault, Cancer, Sexual violence, Confinement, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders