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claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Jacob grows up hearing his grandpa's fantastical stories about his childhood in an orphanage for children with special abilities. When his grandpa dies, his last words are instructions for Jacob to go to the orphanage and find out the truth. On the remote Welsh island, Jacob finds the old orphanage crumbling and abandoned. His explorations lead him to discover more about the history of the mysterious orphanage and discover that his grandfather—and the world—are not what they seemed.
Honestly, this isn't really my favorite genre; though it is fantasy, it feels more paranormal. There were also scenes that I found unnecessarily gruesome. I liked the world-building, though it could be confusing at times. The first half of the book was relatively slow, but it sped up a lot towards the end. Overall, it was interesting enough but I wasn't hooked enough that I'm rushing to get the sequel.
Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just my judgement of how happy the ending is because I always wish someone would tell me that before I read books):The ending was bittersweet, and while not a cliffhanger per se, it's definitely unfinished and feels like the adventure is just starting.
Honestly, this isn't really my favorite genre; though it is fantasy, it feels more paranormal. There were also scenes that I found unnecessarily gruesome. I liked the world-building, though it could be confusing at times. The first half of the book was relatively slow, but it sped up a lot towards the end. Overall, it was interesting enough but I wasn't hooked enough that I'm rushing to get the sequel.
Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just my judgement of how happy the ending is because I always wish someone would tell me that before I read books):
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Excrement, Gore, Medical content, and Violence
Minor: Antisemitism
alisazhup's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Death, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Excrement, and Mental illness
triptych_turning's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was a reccomendation from my English teacher, and I've decided it's the kind of book I wouldn't read on my own, but I'm glad that it was reccomended to me. I relate to the main character, and I appreciate the others- personally, my favorite was Millard.
I gave this book a 3.5 because I appreciate it, I just didn't quite vibe with it. That said, I still enjoyed it and will try to read the rest of tge series.
I gave this book a 3.5 because I appreciate it, I just didn't quite vibe with it. That said, I still enjoyed it and will try to read the rest of tge series.
Minor: Blood, Child death, Cursing, and Panic attacks/disorders
brynn_books's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was fantasy but different than anything I’ve ever read before. I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but it definitely fulfilled what I wanted and more. I liked the different photographs scattered throughout the story. It really helped me immerse myself in this world. It was so creative and so unique. Ransom Riggs has created a peculiar world full of peculiar people and it was awesome. Job well done.
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Gun violence
Moderate: Antisemitism and War
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