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thecrimsoncorsair's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Cannibalism, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Bullying, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Pandemic/Epidemic, Confinement, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Violence, Xenophobia, Death, Dementia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Body shaming, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Classism, Cursing, Gore, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Drug use, Racism, War, Alcohol, Excrement, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Cancer
keyofthekey's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Body horror, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racial slurs, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Cursing, Hate crime, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Death
arel2908's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Death, Blood, Chronic illness, Confinement, Grief, Hate crime, Gun violence, Racism, Animal death, Death of parent, and Dementia
marleens's review against another edition
- 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
It’s a chunker and it took me weeks to work my way through, but I loved every step of the way along the plot. Great writing and great characters, and I loved the switching between multiple POVs. Also really liked the bits at the start of the chapters giving little insights into what was being talked about online or in the media. The story end was satisfying to me and could have easily been a standalone, but apparently there is a sequel which I will for sure be reading.
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Body horror, Confinement, Dementia, Rape, Racism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Religious bigotry
hailey_eustice'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Suicide, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
jesticulate's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Ableism, Blood, Death, Homophobia, Racism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Rape
I found the beginning of this book excellent and really compelling. In the middle, I was deeply upset because there are no trigger warnings and I ended up hearing (audiobook version) a very graphic rape scene before I was able to turn off the audio. And the end of the book went on too long. Definitely not Chucks best work. But i still really liked the beginning…yruss972's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.0
12 monkeys meets The Walking Dead meets The 100
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, War, Drug abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual violence, Slavery, Vomit, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Medical content, Racism, Hate crime, Abandonment, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Grief, Violence, Death, Rape, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Torture, Physical abuse, and Racial slurs
talesoftheraven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Hate crime, and Death
narzibenoucdel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Grief, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Rape, Hate crime, Cursing, Mental illness, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racial slurs, Racism, Confinement, Gore, and Gun violence
cassie7e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
However the politics and desire to seem progressive are stark, and come up in places that just don't flow naturally with the story, like the author needed to jam them in even when they weren't really relevant to the story. Especially when things like climate change are thrown into lines of exposition, all tell and no show, no inherent link to the plot beyond "the world is already doooomed!!" which is just not compelling on its own. This to say that this book is not escapist, and may annoy you even if you agree with its values like I do. If I'd known how despicably polictical the arc would be I might not have picked this up, or at least been better prepared when things got darker fast.
This book also hits closer to home because it describes so so well how people reacted to COVID, before it even happened. In retrospect this isn't surprising; the COVID reactions and White Mask reactions stem from movements and ideologies already stoked in years leading up. But this may make it extra real for readers sensitive to pandemic stories.
Surprise aro/ace mention right at the start! Love seeing this exist in more books. But it doesn't really come up again, and the one other time it's referenced it doesn't really seem to be an accurate understanding of what asexuality is.
One of my least favorite audio narrators, makes every character sound aloof and cocky and judgy or hesitant and whiney.
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Torture, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Confinement, Grief, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Addiction, Cursing, Dementia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, and Murder
Minor: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Medical content, Pedophilia, Vomit, and Child death