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andrews_bookshelf'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Rumaan Alam captured me in the modern-day world he carefully crafted, complete with thrilling events that psychologically affected me as the reader.
This was a VERY different kind of thriller. Themes of war, terrorism, fear, and so much more were tackled in the narrative. Instead of clear and concrete events/answers, Alam wrote of various ominous events that slowly began to affect the same few characters. I found it quite powerful that the setting itself never once changed -
The character development in this novel was subtle, but was indeed present.
WHY 4.5? 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨️
Ok so this was absolutely incredible! 😲 😮 😯 🫢 For the most part, I lovedddd how this was written. That ending??? OMG it was so twisted yet relevant yet disturbing all at once. I was shocked to my cote for sure. Still, some parts of the novel were a bit too wordy for me and felt a bit dry or unnecessary.
This was a great book club pick. The discussion will be one to remember, and I definitely recommend this one!
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Vomit, and War
thatsssorachael's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Blood and Vomit
Moderate: Body horror and Sexual content
Minor: Child death, Excrement, and War
mel_bee_421's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Graphic: Racism and Vomit
Moderate: Murder and Alcohol
Minor: Violence and War
irinalast's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Minor: Confinement, Death, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, and War
ariparip's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: War
ddclarke's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Likely hurt by having watched the movie first, which was very faithful and left me little to discover in the pages.
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Death, Racism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, War, and Classism
jessikalange'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: Racism, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
lauracollins096's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Gore and Vomit
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Death, Genocide, Racism, Blood, War, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
maggiemcfly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: War
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Racism, Sexual content, and Classism
Minor: Suicide
hail_archangel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit, War, and Injury/Injury detail