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daydaybookbay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I do not recommend this book if you are triggered at all by: abuse. child abduction, drug abuse, gore, gun violence, murder, parent death, pedophilia, rape, sexual assult, suicide, torture.
Please be aware that all of these topics and more are focused on at one point or another in this novel.
The characters are well developed and rounded. As a reader, you become invested in both the main characters as well as other characters (the father Sam, and Julia). I felt the pacing was steady and gave the perfect amount of time for buildup and resolution. Slaughter's storytelling is amazing.
Back to this trigger warnings bit. At some point, is this graphic torture for shock value? Kidnapping, torture, rape, and murder of teenagers... I almost stopped reading it. I can see it happening as I'm reading, so to have someone described as being raped by a machete... or the urine waterboarding. nope. Not my thing. Just the ongoing shock-value events in the second half are what knocked the rating down a bit.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Torture, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcohol, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Trafficking, Stalking, Classism, Car accident, Cursing, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
khiggins2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Cursing, Gun violence, Rape, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Confinement, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Self harm, Death, Trafficking, Violence, Drug abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Torture, Death of parent, Gore, Sexual assault, and Suicide
mirrorchaser'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
4.0
I will warn readers that this is about as close to splatterpunk as a mainstream thriller can go before it tips genres. I would not read this book if you have pretty much any triggers at all. This book is disturbing and really stays with you. It makes you distrustful. Consider your mental health first when you decide to read this.
I would go further into detail, but other reviews have already done a great job summarizing!
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Excrement, Infidelity, Body horror, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Drug use, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Car accident, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, and Addiction
kayleighpie's review against another edition
Graphic: Addiction, Car accident, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Cursing, Stalking, Torture, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Body horror, Death of parent, Sexual violence, and Violence
grace_frank'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: Addiction, Death of parent, Murder, Blood, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Rape, Cursing, Sexual assault, and Stalking
kaleabrown's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Drug use, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Cursing, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Vomit, Suicide, Torture, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Murder, Rape, Grief, Gore, and Violence
hugsy85'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Murder, Misogyny, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Pedophilia, Stalking, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, and Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse, Trafficking, Drug use, Fatphobia, Addiction, Car accident, and Cursing
Minor: Animal cruelty
blairlynn'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
Graphic: Gore, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Blood, Sexual assault, Cursing, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Excrement, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Spoiler Horrific, rape, kinky, bound age, teen age son video recorded all the murders, and what took place before death. shackled, when the main person died, the son took his place.cma048's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Drug use, Murder, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug abuse, Cursing, Confinement, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Rape, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Medical content, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Mental illness, Vomit, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Suicide, Gore, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Death
sarah_amy's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Child death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Kidnapping, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Torture, Death, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cursing, Dementia, Alcoholism, Car accident, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Abandonment, Grief, and Addiction