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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
kitpotter'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Incest, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Dementia
emilyhof613'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
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Suicide, Violence, Dementia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Trafficking, Drug abuse, Confinement, Death, and Emotional abuse
mdking's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
The depiction of cult life, in depth undercover investigations, corporate espionage and the ever interesting relationship between Strike and Robin was so gripping, I couldn't stop listening.
Some difficult moments in this book. The tension was high.
I didn't find the answer to "who dunnit?" satisfactory. There felt like a lot of gaps in the answers given.
Overall however, a powerful and engaging book.
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Pregnancy, Suicide, Miscarriage, and Pedophilia
Minor: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Trafficking, and Self harm
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