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magellen'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
Oh poor sweet HELLA adhd Mrs. DeWinter - it is so deeply amusing to read this book, with her being "embarrassed for them because they didn't have the sense to" and her intense rejection sensitivity disorder and all her wild conjectures and anxiety.
This is such a fantastic book in the gothic catalogue and a classic of twisty overlapping story. Its ableist and racist in places in line with shitty white moneyed people of the era.
Young wife, husband twice her age, giant estate and a malicious housekeeper. Lots of secrets. Lots of miscommunication haha
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Racism, Suicide, and Murder
neptunereign's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Dementia, and Injury/Injury detail
mmadill227's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Incest, Infidelity, and Murder
Minor: Cancer and Suicide
ambermarshall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It starts off slowly but so richly described that it drew me right in, and then in the second half it gripped me tightly and pulled me along. So much is revealed that casts earlier parts in a new light, and I found myself flipping back and forth and rereading earlier passages. The mystery and suspense were excellent, and romance took a back seat (it was all rather chaste as far as romance goes). It ends rather abruptly but I read a little more of the beginning again (which takes place after the events of the book) and it can act as a sort of epilogue as well as prologue, and you get a different reading from it after reading the entire novel.
I do wonder if the beginning might serve better at the end, since it takes away a little bit of the suspense to know that MC and Maxim are away and safe after everything, though I did wonder if maybe they were on the lam.
Overall, I'm hugely impressed. A masterpiece indeed.
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, and Cultural appropriation
rory_john14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Incest, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
jessthanthree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Incest, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Pregnancy
thewoodlandbookshelf's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Racism
yggie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I thought Maxim was a dick, and he should not have married our nameless heroine. There, I said it. My heart ached for her most of the time, and he deliberately let her suffer because he adored the lost, helpless look on her face. When she finally had to find her own strength because of the shit he pulled, he had the nerve to tell her she lost that endearing quality he had loved so much. Not cool, Maxim, not cool.
To be honest, not a great choice to read if you’re rather depressed and painfully eager to please the people around you, unless you’re in therapy and really up for some serious practice.
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Pregnancy
mme_carton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Incest, Infidelity, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Infertility, and Death of parent
kengiedamali's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Murder
Minor: Racism
The brownface was a choice!