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mhickman23'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? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Bullying, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Slavery, Stalking, Vomit, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Torture, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Cursing, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Child abuse, Outing, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Animal cruelty, War, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Animal death, Genocide, and Fatphobia
sauvageloup'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
pros:
- the cult setting was extremely well done, very frightening and sinister and the traumatic effect on Robin and the others was obvious in their reactions. It definitely made you think about the horrors of cults.
- sadly J.K. is a talented writer and the pacing and characters are very good, with the complicated plot coming together and the characters growing throughout, to a degree.
cons
- the plot did feel too complicated towards the end as I struggled to keep straight who certain people were, including Graves and Abigail and some others. Would probably reward a reread.
- Strike was a bit annoying in this book, as he seemed naive/careless about the torment Robin went through (which though well addressed as it was happening and immediately after, seemed to be forgotten as the plot came together at the end), his jealousy towards Murphy is tiring, and his lack of action towards Robin gets frustrating.
- J.K. is clearly also making a point about how the law hesitates to go against people for PC reasons and overly tip toeing around sensitive issues, like religious freedom and people living differently. Strike snidely says 'live and let live' to criticise the cult. I think she is doing a subtle dig here towards trans people and their rights.
but overall another compelling Robin and Strike novel, probably the one that gripped me most so far with the scary cult plot.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Stalking, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Abortion, Body horror, Medical content, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, and Alcohol
All the content warnings here, very dark.hexagon9067's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Physical abuse, Suicide, Homophobia, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Trafficking, Slavery, Infidelity, Death, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Cancer, Child death, Alcoholism, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Murder, Incest, Gaslighting, Confinement, Child abuse, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse
knightscottage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Confronting subject matter. Survivors of cults and child abuse in all its forms take care reading this.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Confinement, Torture, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, and Child abuse
Moderate: Cursing
lillinares's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Anyway, the plot is well-woven and immersive. I felt like I was in that cult with Robin the entire time.
Pat is now my favorite side character. Murphy can eat dirt. I’m proud of Strike and how he’s trying to be better in every sense. Robin is the true backbone of the story, always reliable and kind and smart, although, at times, I wish she wouldn’t be so courageous, not to say reckless. Her decisions make me tense.
I gave this book that extra .25 stars because I cannot believe
Graphic: Abortion, Child death, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicide, Gun violence, Murder, Confinement, Rape, and Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Gore, Cancer, Death of parent, Incest, Self harm, Trafficking, and Eating disorder
alexishp23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Suicide, Gaslighting, Gore, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Torture, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Abortion, Murder, Violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, and Cursing
Moderate: Dementia and Cancer
justbrett'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Dementia, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Child abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking
marlisenicole's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Cursing, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Torture, Dementia, Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
dianezeise'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? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Addiction, Child death, Fatphobia, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Stalking, Self harm, Body shaming, Trafficking, and Adult/minor relationship
madelaney's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Minor: Pedophilia, Confinement, Addiction, Grief, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Torture, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Slavery, Pregnancy, Murder, Drug use, Violence, Death, Bullying, Blood, Abandonment, Child death, Self harm, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Cancer, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Mental illness