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darumachan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I was initially captivated by the mystery of the haunting at the core of the novel, but that was also where I was most frustrated. I don't mind an ambiguous ending that leaves you pondering, but I realize here that I do take issue with patterns or "clues" that are either abandoned or that are later contradicted for no reason, pointing the reader to a ridiculously broad conclusion that the problem is men and marriage in general, rather than following through on the more subtle relationships between heteronormative marriage and homophobia, misogyny, medical gaslighting, mental illness, gun violence, and family cultures founded on authoritarianism.
I also am dissatisfied with how the MC was developed. I'm fine with an unlikeable MC, but here she seemed to be a faded copy of her elder sisters rather than her own person, even though she was the one who survived to tell her story. She doesn't want to be compared to men, but she has no problem taking advantage of her romantic partner to do the emotional and intellectual labor expected of women married to "genius" male artists, for example. This is especially problematic given that this is a mixed-race partnership. The MC's sexuality was also handled rather clumsily and her attraction to women seemed tacked on to an otherwise asexual character.
Graphic: Car accident, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Self harm
Minor: Cultural appropriation, War, Lesbophobia, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Homophobia
jillaay_h's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Self harm, Medical content, Death, Grief, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
kell_xavi's review
3.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Misogyny
Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Suicide, and Blood
Minor: Gun violence
town_scar's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Rape, Blood, Alcoholism, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Car accident, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide, Homophobia, Vomit, Police brutality, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Racism, Cursing, Cancer, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Cultural appropriation, and Death
rachaelwho's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Extremely skilled voice acting by the narrator.
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Blood, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, and Suicide
meredithamadee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Sexual harassment
theroyaltyreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
At first, it was kinda slow but a proper one. It's kinda slow as it wants to build first the characters. Honestly, six daughters presence in this book reminds me of Pride & Prejudice but with a delirious mother. Okay, delirious mother, the beginning of the horror chapter. But, it's kinda cliché when the mother kept giving warning that sounds "something bad is gonna happen". Horror scenes were adequate but it might felt scary if you read it at night. Seems like exorcisms and some scenes were definitely lead to sadness and hollow.
As we progressed more, I noticed that this more onto family curse. Not so haunting-ish type. Still cool. Readers also were introduced on feminism theme which it touched on periods, marriage life, marital rape, educations & woman's mental health perception. love how author mentioned women were always silenced and dismissed the statement for being women. men simply can't believe women just because women herself.
But the curse itself don't have a clear explainatory. I can assumed that because of the family created gun who killed a lot of people, some victims might curse upon this family to not continuing the generation
Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Mental illness