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dcnireads's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Gore, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Child abuse, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Stalking, and Alcohol
kagehime's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
<from traumatized boy to mothman to woodkid>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Gore, Violence, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, and Body horror
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
sarah_shelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
“He might not love me, but maybe he’ll praise my bones after he’s burned them too” Elwood
–Skyla Arndt, Together We Rot
I absolutely loved this book and I have so many thoughts to share! To start off, the audio is phenomenal. I always get excited when dual pov novels have a narrator for each pov, but these actors were next level. Wil’s narrator has a great northeastern accent and really changes up her voice for the other speaking characters. But her voice is also so emotional and varied, with a lot of attitude. She doesn’t just read the book, she truly acts like an audio drama. The first person narrative definitely helps with the acting because we get a very clear inner dialogue and connection to the characters’ thoughts and emotions. It took me longer to warm up to Elwood’s narrator, not because he was bad in any way, but Elwood is much more earnest and calm compared to Wil’s scathing insults and boiling rage. But as the story progresses, we get a lot more dynamic acting, especially as he tackles more characters and Elwood’s situation grows more horrifying.
Aside from the phenomenal acting, I was drawn to all of the characters. Finally some authentic & complex high schoolers! Ronnie seems to have been the stereotypical, pretty popular girl, but she bonded with social outcast Wil over the serious & traumatic things in their lives (Ronnie’s breakup with Lucas & her dad’s suicide; Wil’s mother’s disappearance) We also get to see different sides of their personalities. To Wil, Elwood is a traitor who chose his murderous family over her, but he is so confused and even more in the dark than she is. We also see how Lucas is an anxious mess who really cares about Ronnie but keeps messing up (I don’t fully know the girls’ perspectives on this, but it humanizes the guys). I also really enjoyed the relationship growth between Wil and Lucas. The two keep butting heads over their best friends, but are eventually able to acknowledge their shared friendships and jealousies. Once they get past the animosity, the two actually make a great team, being more similar than they realized. Kevin is the final character to round out the Scooby Gang (and I love that Wil uses that name). He doesn't have quite as much development or time among the other relationship dynamics, but he’s a steady presence with knowledge of old books and a love for conspiracies. He really rounds out the whole group.
Speaking of relationships, Arndt was able to sell me on the romance so much better in a matter of paragraphs than most writers do in a whole novel (unlike Caraval). Elwood’s descriptions of how much he loves Wil and his dreams for their day-to-day lives are so sweet! It’s obvious how much the two care for each other, even when Wil tries to deny it. It’s incredibly refreshing after too many YA romance subplots where the characters just seem to lust after each other.
Plot-wise the first half or so is fantastic. We get really great introductions to all of the characters and their dynamics as well as our main characters’ motivations: Wil’s missing mother and Elwood’s complicated relationship with his family. Everything builds fantastically as we run through Lucas’ party, Elwood’s discovery of the church’s cult aspects, running into Wil, and investigating the library with the rest of the cast. However, I felt like the pacing for the investigation was off. The town has gone ages without the younger generation discovering the sacrifices they make to the Morgue Wood. And yet, in a matter of days, the kids discover the entire backstory, dating back to the town’s founding. The supernatural aspects were also rather vague until the climax of the story when the book goes full cryptid. I think all of this could’ve been drawn out more to really sit in the tension and creepy vibes of the town.
Aside from some of the pacing issues, I loved the rest of the novel. I got very emotional at the end, especially after the forest fight and Wil’s reconciliation with her emotionally absent father. I would’ve accepted if the novel had ended differently, but I’m really glad everyone got a happy ending. Except for Elwood’s father, the chief of police, and the entire cult. There’s always a special vindication when evil organizations are publicly exposed and taken care of.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Body horror, Religious bigotry, and Animal death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Religious Cult Cryptid Human Sacrifice Mothskayceeisbookish's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
Loved it! It is beautifully horrific, like twirling throny vines growing up a trellis. This book's vines had a CHOKEHOLD on me. I read it in one sitting. The mystery, grotesque body horror, the beauty in the main characters' development and growth, this book truly has it all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Alcoholism, Animal death, Gore, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Blood, and Religious bigotry
legalplanner's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Teen, and the Author for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts on this one.
I thought the premise of this book sounded great from the beginning. I was not prepared at all for how quickly I would be wrapped up in the story of Will and Elwood. The writing was well paced, the twists and turns unexpected, and let's be honest a cult in the town always makes the book more interesting.
Wil and Elwoods lives are more intertwined than I expected them to be but honestly, I was here for it. We were given the chance to see who they were a part but then together a lot and that made the story telling very intriguing and made it worthwhile to get to the end. However, going beyond that with their involvement is hard to share without giving anything away.
I found the supporting cast to be very good in who they were, how they were brought into things by Will and Elwood and how fiercely they cared for their friends. Normally, the side characters in tales like these are just there to advance the plot but here it gave you a glance at the characters as a whole as well as moving the plot along.
This really drew me in and then made me go WTF and HH and all the other things that I'm not going to post in my review. At the end I was just kind of like wow that was sooo good. I wish I could read that for the first time again.
I thought the premise of this book sounded great from the beginning. I was not prepared at all for how quickly I would be wrapped up in the story of Will and Elwood. The writing was well paced, the twists and turns unexpected, and let's be honest a cult in the town always makes the book more interesting.
Wil and Elwoods lives are more intertwined than I expected them to be but honestly, I was here for it. We were given the chance to see who they were a part but then together a lot and that made the story telling very intriguing and made it worthwhile to get to the end. However, going beyond that with their involvement is hard to share without giving anything away.
I found the supporting cast to be very good in who they were, how they were brought into things by Will and Elwood and how fiercely they cared for their friends. Normally, the side characters in tales like these are just there to advance the plot but here it gave you a glance at the characters as a whole as well as moving the plot along.
This really drew me in and then made me go WTF and HH and all the other things that I'm not going to post in my review. At the end I was just kind of like wow that was sooo good. I wish I could read that for the first time again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, and Alcoholism
readingella's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, and Body horror
imbored_soillread's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.5
Wil is a girl trying to solve her mother’s disappearance when it feels like the police aren’t doing anything. Elwood is a boy trying to escape from his secretive cult family. Together they have to repair their broken friendship and work together to solve the case and stop the crimes his family have been commuting for centuries.
SETTING/ENVIRONMENT- this book had some great world building, especially for being set in our world. I felt like I was there in the story the whole time. The cult in this story is a Christian based one, and as a Christian, and someone who has been in a Christian based cult, I thought it was done really well. It goes to show how people will bed the words of scripture to fit their own sick ends. For example, Elwood has been being abused for his whole life. His parents use the scriptures about the importance of discipline while completely ignoring the context and the scriptures about loving your children. They say that God has always required sacrifice for justification for killing animals and ignore the fact that Jesus became that sacrifice and fulfilled the law so that no more death would be necessary. One qualm I had with the setting was that it was set in winter, and my brain was picturing fall, so it threw me off, but that’s more my fault then the author’s.
PLOT- the plot was unique, interesting, and not grossly predictable as YA/NA books are these days. I found it easy to follow while still being deep and nuanced.
CHARACTERS- I have a love hate relationship with the characters in this book. They were well written and intentionally made this way, but personally, I wouldn’t have gotten along with them irl. Aside from Elwood perhaps. Wil was feisty, but I am very non confrontational and so our personalities don’t really fit. I thought it was interesting how the pastor aka Elwoods father called himself the “right hand of God.” Let me tell you, as soon as someone says they speak for God, run. It’s a cult. Only God speaks for God.
PROSE- immaculate and beautiful. Horrifyingly well done. 10/10. Enough said.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT- I liked it. I couldn’t put it down. It’s not my favorite ever, but it was good.
SETTING/ENVIRONMENT- this book had some great world building, especially for being set in our world. I felt like I was there in the story the whole time. The cult in this story is a Christian based one, and as a Christian, and someone who has been in a Christian based cult, I thought it was done really well. It goes to show how people will bed the words of scripture to fit their own sick ends. For example, Elwood has been being abused for his whole life. His parents use the scriptures about the importance of discipline while completely ignoring the context and the scriptures about loving your children. They say that God has always required sacrifice for justification for killing animals and ignore the fact that Jesus became that sacrifice and fulfilled the law so that no more death would be necessary. One qualm I had with the setting was that it was set in winter, and my brain was picturing fall, so it threw me off, but that’s more my fault then the author’s.
PLOT- the plot was unique, interesting, and not grossly predictable as YA/NA books are these days. I found it easy to follow while still being deep and nuanced.
CHARACTERS- I have a love hate relationship with the characters in this book. They were well written and intentionally made this way, but personally, I wouldn’t have gotten along with them irl. Aside from Elwood perhaps. Wil was feisty, but I am very non confrontational and so our personalities don’t really fit. I thought it was interesting how the pastor aka Elwoods father called himself the “right hand of God.” Let me tell you, as soon as someone says they speak for God, run. It’s a cult. Only God speaks for God.
PROSE- immaculate and beautiful. Horrifyingly well done. 10/10. Enough said.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT- I liked it. I couldn’t put it down. It’s not my favorite ever, but it was good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Vomit, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Grief, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Police brutality
I feel like it’s important to add occult themes, cult sacrifice, child and animal sacrifice, religious trauma, swearing, and a slight demonic tone. The regular content warnings can’t really warn you about these.
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