Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Where the Drowned Girls Go

2.5 Stars. I really enjoyed the adventure and the new characters. I enjoyed exploring a new school with a different teaching philosophy. The school kind of gave me the vibes of the schools for trouble teens which often run unethically and have little to no government or external board oversight. I enjoyed the fat shaming talk but also had an issues with the unrealistic delivery of the message. If you are at weight that is not healthy for your body and increases your risk of other disease there is no way you could eat a healthy diet and be super active and not lose some weight unless there are other medical problems causing the weight gain. This is very different from someone who has a natural broader body type. I found the pacing to be pretty good and I didn't want to stop listening to the book however as with other works in this series I felt like the climax and ending were a bit rushed.

The biggest issue I have is with the narrator justing that you can die and come back to life other than having an after life. Also I felt that suicide was suggested as a possible solution for getting to move on to a life which is better suited for you which I find appalling and dangerous especially for the targeted audience of this book.

Content Warnings

thesaltiestlibrarian's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

BRUH.

I'd been wondering when we would see the Whitethorn Institute, and I was NOT disappointed. Cora is still haunted by her encounter with the Drowned Gods in the Moors, and they're threatening at every turn to reclaim her in whatever world she decides to call home. But she can't sleep. She's afraid of taking baths. And her every waking moment is haunted by the tentacles and giant eyes that constantly see her. So in desperation, she asks Eleanor for a transfer into the Whitethorn Institute. Upon arriving, she immediately wishes she hadn't.

Cora is easily one of my FAVORITE characters. She's my platonic plus-sized bae, and I feel the struggle. When the BMI calls you morbidly obese, and you can hike two miles uphill and walk for hours and don't have any rolls, and you're built like a doorway with shoulders like a football player because ALL of your ancestors weathered northern winters and you can feel that passed down...well, your brain gets confused. I love that McGuire uses her platform to talk about issues that really hurt people and get swept under the rug because, for some stupid reason, it's normalized in society. Cora was on the swim team and ran every day and was healthy, but because her body is bigger, people called her fat and laughed.

SOMEONE HUG THIS GIRL. UGH.

As usual, McGuire spins a tale with high stakes and characters who must rise to the occasion. And, I may add, we get to see a person who will probably become a potential problem later down the road. Hmmmmmmmmmm, are we seeing some dominos being carefully spaced and placed? My, my.

I really don't want to get into a lot of the plot, as we've still got a couple months to go before it hits shelves, but let me assure anyone out there that the wait will be worth it and then some. An admirable addition to the series!

Content Warnings

heytherekaity's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My favorite one so far!

Content Warnings

More...