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waclements7's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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? No
4.25
jackthelad's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
kareenkt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
kdahlo's review against another edition
4.0
Strange and cool. I saw this compared to Handmaids tale but it didn't remind me of that much. Maybe a better comparison would be something like Severance, where it's slightly hyper-real but still emotionally weighty and dealing with something deeper beneath the surface. To be honest I was a little skeptical part way through, because it felt like so much had been built up, I couldn't see a way to a satisfying ending. Ultimately I was surprised by how grounded and satisfying it turned out to be. This book would be appropriate for young adults 16+, although I haven't seen it designated YA.
kacybraying's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
graveyardpansy's review against another edition
4.0
really solid 4 stars, maybe more — once again, horror by women of colour is simply worlds above that by random white men (looking at u, King and Joe Hill.) the way horror like this, maybe comparable to When No One is Watching or anything by Carmen Maria Muchado, ties into real life and real corruption and fear is simply so wonderful and jarring. I’m surprised I haven’t seen more hype around this book, honestly. If you like horror that is a little too close to real life for comfort, human experimentation, derealization, and a touch of body horror as a treat, give this novel a shot!
dhall58's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jennypgh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? No
4.0
jbradley_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
whatsamanthadoes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Read for a book club.
Very interesting dystopian premise. Lena drops out of college to pay family debts by working for a government research program.She has to sign an NDA and weird/brutally things are done to her and other participants. Or is it all just a dream?
Lena continued to endure these trials because of her devotion to her family. While I wish we would have got to know the characters a bit better, I really loved Lena, Charlie, and Deziree. I loved that Lena gave silly names for the people that worked at Lakewood. It caught me by surprise that the book change formats at times. There were parts in this book that had me ill (teeth, mushrooms, apricots to name a few! ). There were parts about medical racism and preying on those in a financial crisis.
All of her dreams circled around the idea that she was having pieces of her taken or destroyed even when she would try to get them to see that she is a real person.
I wish there was a little more resolution in the ending, but I'm interested to read Megan Giddings' future books.
Very interesting dystopian premise. Lena drops out of college to pay family debts by working for a government research program.
Lena continued to endure these trials because of her devotion to her family. While I wish we would have got to know the characters a bit better, I really loved Lena, Charlie, and Deziree. I loved that Lena gave silly names for the people that worked at Lakewood. It caught me by surprise that the book change formats at times. There were parts in this book that had me ill (
Graphic: Body horror, Racism, Murder, Death, and Medical content