Reviews

i liked the idea of this book but honestly was pretty disappointed by the end. didn’t keep my attention too much but i liked the setting and how all the characters were actors

writing_rider's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

esmetheepic's review against another edition

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dark inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

i feel like my reading age has progressed about 5 years during this novel. i started reading like a baby deer on wobbly legs, but somehow ambled through the shakespearean monologues and came out of it with a newfound appreciation for shakespeare in a way that teaching in school never came close to. truly a wonderful novel through both characters and plot. predictable, yes, but phenomenal nonetheless. watching the characters catch up with what was happening around them was completely exhilarating.

and god how i love pathetic queer yearning.

starsnbeers's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

zwergotter's review against another edition

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mysterious

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No

3.0

andyxcds's review against another edition

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3.0

★------- 3.5★ -------- ★important spoilers ahead!

do i like this book or is the tragedy what attracts me to this book? I fear i have a very soft spot for crap endings.(crap as in sad or strongly less than happy)

from the start, the end of this book was revealed! It came to me in a secret history/ illiad theme! but when written in acts and multi prologues, i was constantly reminded that the ending was never going to be perfect.

what i found horrifying is why Oliver was to be punished for the crimes of someone else! and why did he just accept it?? i mean to an extent, i understand that you're madly infatuated with your best friend and ur hot redhead situationship. but to take the blame for both of them and waste ten years in jail is absolutely horrendous. and James taking the easy way out is so uncalled for. (but i wanna assume its because he felt everything they did but in thousandfold)

the plot was interesting, and building the characters up as a family helps me understand what they are to eachother?? it also showed me they hopped eachother atleast once. however, it feels like the characters personality traits disappeared by the fourth act. at some point i could tell when someone was out of character, it was rather disappointing actually. and at some point i realized that rio was just changing her characters rather quickly with no development to push the plot further. like Richard has no reason to do get mad?? at the beginning of the book he was kinda cool i can't lie, but the switch up had she boozled. Wren's character was rather despairing seeing that she was usually referred to as a company of either james or Richard. but sure keep switching things up!

i really wished i was madly infatuated with this book but it is definitely missing something! it was genuinely good enough for me to keep getting caught up! especially where Richard calls james and ollie gay for eachother!

and while on the topic of Richard! i think he was a perfectly written character in the sense i could genuinely hate this guy with a passion!! he disgusts me completely!!

Oliver to me seemed bland in a sense though! im not sure if thats becoming a recurring trait for dark academia authors but why do these main characters have to be completely average in everything

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