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alexutzu's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, the author and the narrator for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
A quick but dark novel that leaves some lingering feelings, focusing on the line between sanity/mind clarity and mental health struggles provoked by abuse and manipulation, as well as on how society perceives these matters.
😍 The good:
Short, but packed with depth, exploring toxic human relationships. The literary style and main character's perspective, narrated in an accurate way, were rather engaging and suitable to the tone of the book.
😅 The not-so-good:
The novel is heavy in style at times, making me lose focus on the key events and feelings of the main character. It was so short that it lacked some substance in some of the parts, and the ending was not as strongly executed as expected.
A quick but dark novel that leaves some lingering feelings, focusing on the line between sanity/mind clarity and mental health struggles provoked by abuse and manipulation, as well as on how society perceives these matters.
😍 The good:
Short, but packed with depth, exploring toxic human relationships. The literary style and main character's perspective, narrated in an accurate way, were rather engaging and suitable to the tone of the book.
😅 The not-so-good:
The novel is heavy in style at times, making me lose focus on the key events and feelings of the main character. It was so short that it lacked some substance in some of the parts, and the ending was not as strongly executed as expected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual assault, and Animal death
courtenaywrites's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Stuckes' premise, on the surface, is structurally sound. The cover adds to the intrigue presented by the description. We follow an unreliable narrator through her unusual life. At times, we aren't sure if we are being told everything.
However, the story as a whole fell flat for me. The characters were so two-dimensional that I found it difficult to care about them. Stuckes' writing reads as more Young Adult than the Adult book advertised. Additionally, there were far too many comma splices, making the book feel slightly amateurish. Many of the sentences could have been rewritten to become beautifully striking.
When the character was expressing her thoughts, they would often be in italics, but Stuckes has chosen to include "I thought to myself," making the sentence thoroughly redundant. This book needs to be gone over with an editor to shape up the technical aspects. Furthermore, we begin the book in second person, which comes across as a mistake for we then end up in first-person perspective for the rest of the novel.
On the other hand, there were some rare gems in sentences such as, "Customers are a screaming hydra of need." Though this isn't enough to save the book for me, and that is why I have rated it as low as I have. I understand what the author was trying to achieve, but it did not land. If this book had been a short story, it could have been spectacular.
However, the story as a whole fell flat for me. The characters were so two-dimensional that I found it difficult to care about them. Stuckes' writing reads as more Young Adult than the Adult book advertised. Additionally, there were far too many comma splices, making the book feel slightly amateurish. Many of the sentences could have been rewritten to become beautifully striking.
When the character was expressing her thoughts, they would often be in italics, but Stuckes has chosen to include "I thought to myself," making the sentence thoroughly redundant. This book needs to be gone over with an editor to shape up the technical aspects. Furthermore, we begin the book in second person, which comes across as a mistake for we then end up in first-person perspective for the rest of the novel.
On the other hand, there were some rare gems in sentences such as, "Customers are a screaming hydra of need." Though this isn't enough to save the book for me, and that is why I have rated it as low as I have. I understand what the author was trying to achieve, but it did not land. If this book had been a short story, it could have been spectacular.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Domestic abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Medical content, Emotional abuse, and Blood
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