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allydoessomereading's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, and Stalking
Moderate: Body shaming, Racial slurs, Racism, Cursing, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Torture, Dementia, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Cancer, Blood, and Classism
lunar_witch's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Car accident, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Alcohol, Blood, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Self harm, Stalking, Bullying, Body shaming, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Confinement, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Dementia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
bekiethebanished's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Self harm, Vomit, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
kingrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I think Pippa is very much a seventeen-year-old high school girl obsessed with investigative journalism and true crime. I can’t be peeved that she promised to be ethical and immediately breaks that promise. She contacts the victims’ families and blackmails witnesses. But again, she’s seventeen, and like most teenagers (especially privileged ones) she things she’s invincible and doesn’t think through to the consequences of her actions. She acknowledges this after ignoring threats which result in the kidnapping and death of her dog. It might be irritating that Pippa makes these brash and irresponsible decisions, but I’ve got a decade on her and a fully formed brain that understands I can’t just act without consequences. She’s not as dynamic as I would like her to be, but she’s still a solid character that does acknowledge her privilege throughout the book when Ravi points out certain things (like how one of the only brown boys in the area can’t just break into white people’s homes).
And can I just say I fell in love with Ravi almost from the start, even though at that point everyone was a suspect in my mind. I just find him charming and understanding, though he’s twenty and Pip’s seventeen so no thanks on that. I appreciate they weren’t romantically involved for like the whole book but it’s clear where they were heading.
This book is far from perfect, and a bit more could’ve been built upon for me to feel more emotionally (I did tear up here and there but I wanted to cry and feel kore suspense). However, I every other chapter I was making guesses on the murderer and what happened and tried to fit the pieces together, and though I guessed certain aspects separately, I didn’t fully form them or put two theories together to get the answer, so I was still pleasantly and mildly surprised. Yes, I’m one of those people who are too impatient and try to guess the plot. I like the use of texts, transcripts, and written notes to add to the feeling of following Pip’s investigation in real time. It is very reminiscent of the Adnan Syed case (check it out on Serial!) and almost seemed to have a Gone Girl or Pretty Little Liars vibe going on. I’m not sure if Jackson got inspired by the Syed case or not, I don’t care either way (I mean Gone Girl was inspired by the Lacy Peterson case).
Pip and Ravi have good chemistry as friends and crime solvers, but it’s all bare bones (but good foundation), I wanted it built up more and hope this is the case for the next in the series (which I will be reading!!)
Graphic: Murder and Child death
Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Alcohol, Classism, Drug use, Murder, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship