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lillianreadsalot'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
2.75
Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual content
orangewitchling's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Medical trauma
laurajones's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Drug use, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and War
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Excrement, Terminal illness, and Vomit
mo345'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
3.75
Graphic: Abortion, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcohol and Forced institutionalization
hanarama'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
3.75
• Intelligent MC
• Eerie setting
• Building tension
The Bad:
• Ending feels odd
• The larger world setting
You Might Like This if You Like:
• Crimson Peak
• Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor and The Haunting of Hill House
I feel like this book very nearly gave me what I wanted from it. The growing tension was excellent. The ghosts spooky. The secret society gave me Hellfire Club vibes. All this was great. However, I feel like it failed in the payoff and in some of the details outside of the central plot.
I honestly have no idea why this story takes place in a separate world from our own. The setting is so similar to Victorian England, it feels bizarre that it's not. It's almost distracting to have made up places brought up in a genre that is more commonly set in real world locals.
The final reveal of the story is okay. It just felt like a bit of a letdown after the events of the book. I expected things to go in a different direction, and despite some minor hints, this wasn't made really clear until very far into the story.
A highlight of this story though is in the characters. Jane Shoringfield is an excellent character for a Gothic horror. She's smart and practical, making her later transformations all the more jarring. Dr. Lawrence is moody and confident, with a strong Byronic energy that fits the setting.
In the end, this will probably appeal to fans of Netflix's Haunting series. The twist reminds me of the show, and less of a more traditional Gothic story.
Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, and Self harm
petrolfox'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
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Drug use, Gaslighting, and War
Minor: Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
solliereads'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
5.0
Jane was such a compelling character to follow - her tentative warming to her newfound husband, and her desperation to save him from himself and his own grief. The horror elements were handled extremely well, I've seen many people say that the novel dragged at a certain point, and I suppose that I can see it but to me the pacing of the novel slowed and quickened in a very purposeful way - the slowness of the novel driving you crazy, wanting to know what would happen, felt very deliberate and was something I loved. I would definitely recommend this book.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Blood
Minor: Miscarriage and Death of parent
stevie's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Drug use, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical trauma, Medical content, War, Vomit, Violence, Pregnancy, Gore, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, and Child death
gingerale06's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Violence, and Vomit
saltycoffee's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Abortion, Body horror, Blood, Child death, Medical trauma, Medical content, Drug use, and Death
Minor: Death of parent