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jkreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
I can definitely see why people love this book. The writing is beautiful, the imagery both illustrated in the book and conjured by the words is vivid and intriguing. I think this was just a case of ‘not for me’. I read for fun and to escape to another world or another life for a while, and although I can handle and even enjoy depressing plots this one was just a bit TOO depressing for me. It wasn’t dark or sad necessarily just…bleak.
I felt that the first half of the book leaned too heavily on the ‘depressing’ elements of the MC’s backstory and although I understand that the book is supposed to be dreary in tone as a whole, it kind of just made me want to put it down and stop reading it. Some parts felt like they were miserable just for the sake of being miserable, rather than actually adding to the plot or the character. I felt sorry for Olivia, but I didn’t feel particularly attached to her as a character. I also felt like there wasn’t much connection between any of the characters, even by the end. Although again I assume this was somewhat intentional on the author’s part to show Olivia’s loneliness and difficulty in forming relationships due to being unable to speak, it also made the ending feel a bit flat and hopeless to me.
I really enjoyed V.E. Schwab’s writing style overall though, so I will definitely be checking out some of her other works!
I felt that the first half of the book leaned too heavily on the ‘depressing’ elements of the MC’s backstory and although I understand that the book is supposed to be dreary in tone as a whole, it kind of just made me want to put it down and stop reading it. Some parts felt like they were miserable just for the sake of being miserable, rather than actually adding to the plot or the character. I felt sorry for Olivia, but I didn’t feel particularly attached to her as a character. I also felt like there wasn’t much connection between any of the characters, even by the end. Although again I assume this was somewhat intentional on the author’s part to show Olivia’s loneliness and difficulty in forming relationships due to being unable to speak, it also made the ending feel a bit flat and hopeless to me.
I really enjoyed V.E. Schwab’s writing style overall though, so I will definitely be checking out some of her other works!
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide
readwithsophsx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Death
yrlaevelyn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Body horror, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Ableism
Minor: Suicide and Murder
gssll_lpz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide, Stalking, Bullying, and Animal death
stephmc27's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Olivia, a girl who cannot speak and does not have a home, does not know much about her past except what her mother wrote in a journal, including her mother's last message, "You will be safe as long as you stay away from Gallant." When she is invited to Gallant by her uncle, a whole new, vibrant world is opened up for Olivia.
Seeing the world through Olivia's eyes was a wonderful experience. The descriptive personification of the house made a beautiful yet haunting setting. I enjoyed following this story, and while I will agree with others that it was a slower paced book, I did not mind.
If you decide to listen to the audiobook like I did, it is helpful to see the book for some of the journal entries and illustrations. Plus the illustrations are beautiful. I ended up borrowing both the ebook and audiobook from my library.
Seeing the world through Olivia's eyes was a wonderful experience. The descriptive personification of the house made a beautiful yet haunting setting. I enjoyed following this story, and while I will agree with others that it was a slower paced book, I did not mind.
If you decide to listen to the audiobook like I did, it is helpful to see the book for some of the journal entries and illustrations. Plus the illustrations are beautiful. I ended up borrowing both the ebook and audiobook from my library.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Suicide and Animal death
patchy_at_best's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Suicide and Injury/Injury detail
diana_raquel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
"Home is a choice."
Talk about impulse buying! I was browsing the shelves of a bookshop when I noticed this book! I have read other books by V.E. Schwab but didn't know what to expect from this book. But it was a pleasant surprise, mainly because I actually liked a story with horror elements. Usually, horror isn't something that I tend to gravitate toward, but I really liked this book. Maybe because the horror elements are mixed with other elements that I like, such as mystery elements and a darker tone. The characters are well-developed and well-written. The story has good pacing and is well structured. I also liked the fact that the illustrations themselves are also part of the story and not only accessories, a means to show the scenes. To tell the truth, I think that V.E. Schwab was the potential to become a must-read author to me since I really liked every book that I read by her.
Talk about impulse buying! I was browsing the shelves of a bookshop when I noticed this book! I have read other books by V.E. Schwab but didn't know what to expect from this book. But it was a pleasant surprise, mainly because I actually liked a story with horror elements. Usually, horror isn't something that I tend to gravitate toward, but I really liked this book. Maybe because the horror elements are mixed with other elements that I like, such as mystery elements and a darker tone. The characters are well-developed and well-written. The story has good pacing and is well structured. I also liked the fact that the illustrations themselves are also part of the story and not only accessories, a means to show the scenes. To tell the truth, I think that V.E. Schwab was the potential to become a must-read author to me since I really liked every book that I read by her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Animal death, Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Pregnancy, Bullying, Body horror, and Violence
tays_books's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Murder, Blood, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Suicide, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death and Child death
micallab's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, and Grief
sheadunlop's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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
2.0
Just nothing very exciting. Orphan girl sees ghosts. Not much happens, didn’t get attached to the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide