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savleigh98's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Abortion, Suicide, and Bullying
Minor: Murder, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Drug use, Grief, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
rosiemb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Suicide, Murder, and Domestic abuse
sydneystein'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
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Abortion and Domestic abuse
deb_is_reading'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? No
2.5
1. Overly ominous one liners at the end of chapters to add suspense, specifically if that is the author's only attempt at adding suspense. This was more apparent at the beginning of the book. I don't expect authors to have thrills right out the gate chapter 1, especially if we still need to introduce characters/setting. So it's really jarring when a chapter is spent talking about work, marriage, children, backstory etc. and the final sentence in the chapter is something like "Little did I know, even he keeps secrets from me." DUN DUN DUN.
2. Not everything has to connect back together. Pretty self explanatory. I don't want to explore into spoiler territory so I'll leave that there.
3. Time jumps that add little to nothing.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Child death
Moderate: Alcohol, Violence, Drug use, Abortion, Bullying, Grief, Sexual content, Death, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Domestic abuse
fanboyriot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexism, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Bullying, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Classism, Torture, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Self harm, Murder, Suicide attempt, Grief, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Child death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, and Body horror
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Addiction
Minor: Abortion, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Cursing, Abandonment, Violence, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, and Vomit
heather761's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Minor: Domestic abuse
amillii's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
BUT
I loved this book so much - I swallowed this thing whole.
The characters absolutely made it for me. Loved and hated all of them.
Every twist and turn was so juicy, this may be my new favourite thriller/murder mystery.
Don't mind me, just off to read everything else this author has ever written.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Child death, Death, Abortion, Addiction, and Blood
Minor: Vomit
cepbreed's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The start of The Guest List was very slow for my liking. I had no connection to the characters so I was only motivated by my need to complete every book I start. I'm very glad I powered through because the last quarter of the story was a reward in and of itself. I wouldn't say the ending was incredibly show-stopping, but the details given about the past leading up to the final scene had me taking breaks to process everything. It is rare that an author can write a story full of unlikeable characters and still keep their audience engaged but I think Lucy Foley did just that. There is not one character that I felt disproportionate sympathy for and still I was invested in every characters narrative. Humans are innately flawed and Foley brings this out incredibly well. The characters may not be admirable but they certainly are human.
Though I enjoyed this thoroughly I have to disagree with The New York Times book review that initially enticed me, this is not comparable to Agatha Christie.
Song:
- Perfect Storm - Inhaler
Graphic: Classism, Mental illness, Death, Murder, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Cursing, Grief, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
Minor: Blood
klb77's review
- 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
4.75
My own guest list (for a near-perfect story):
1. characters to sympathize with
2. characters to hate
3. a good irish storm to set the mood
4. wedding drama
5. family secrets
6. multiple mysteries entangled into each other
7. a small amount of spice and scandal
8. a timeline and flashbacks that are easy as pie (or wedding cake?) to follow
Check out the content warnings before picking this one up but definitely give it a chance
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Self harm, Murder, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Death, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Child death, Alcohol, Sexism, Gore, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Grief, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Eating disorder, Racism, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship
bookswithcynthia's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Suicide, and Toxic relationship