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directorpurry's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Stalking, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
shivani_reads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
Where do I even start?
This sounded like such a cool premise, and I was so ready to be creeped out... but the whole thing just kinda sucked?
Firstly, the characters were insufferable. Ben in particular just had me rolling my eyes constantly. What a miserable loser. As for Chloe, we didn't really get to know her much at all beyond Ben's confusing thoughts on her? So she's childlike and reminds him of his TODDLER, but she's also flirty and giggly (to the point of irritating) and he's kinda into it? Eww.
Ngl, I went into this not knowing squat about the author, but just the way Chloe was written was an instant giveaway that the author was male 🙄
Men write women in a realistic and not gross way challenge: impossible.
The pacing was also frustrating as hell. Things would finally start to get interesting, and suddenly we'd be talking about something in the past, or switching to see what Alec was up to in his boring fortress of a home.
And the similes. Dear god, the similes! Every few sentences, for no good reason. Please add more varied writing tools to your toolkit, I beg. Because this was like constantly hoping for a hammer, but continually finding endless broken wrenches (see how annoying it is?).
For such a short book, it felt like it dragged on forever, and I swear the ridiculous amount of "like" and "as" fillers were half the reason.
The village was the most interesting part of the story, and I just wanted more focus on the villagers and the supposed folklore, but it was just all over the place. And as for the "twist" at the end? Honestly, the worst possible outcome. All that build up and for what? None of it even makes sense - if you try to analyse it even a tiny bit the whole idea falls apart? Plot holes galore.
Sorry, Shine. I was really hoping for some creepy horror with this but found myself bored more often than not. And on finishing the story, I'm mostly just annoyed at myself for not bothering to DNF the multiple times I'd considered it.
This sounded like such a cool premise, and I was so ready to be creeped out... but the whole thing just kinda sucked?
Firstly, the characters were insufferable. Ben in particular just had me rolling my eyes constantly. What a miserable loser. As for Chloe, we didn't really get to know her much at all beyond Ben's confusing thoughts on her? So she's childlike and reminds him of his TODDLER, but she's also flirty and giggly (to the point of irritating) and he's kinda into it? Eww.
Ngl, I went into this not knowing squat about the author, but just the way Chloe was written was an instant giveaway that the author was male 🙄
Men write women in a realistic and not gross way challenge: impossible.
The pacing was also frustrating as hell. Things would finally start to get interesting, and suddenly we'd be talking about something in the past, or switching to see what Alec was up to in his boring fortress of a home.
And the similes. Dear god, the similes! Every few sentences, for no good reason. Please add more varied writing tools to your toolkit, I beg. Because this was like constantly hoping for a hammer, but continually finding endless broken wrenches (see how annoying it is?).
For such a short book, it felt like it dragged on forever, and I swear the ridiculous amount of "like" and "as" fillers were half the reason.
The village was the most interesting part of the story, and I just wanted more focus on the villagers and the supposed folklore, but it was just all over the place. And as for the "twist" at the end? Honestly, the worst possible outcome. All that build up and for what? None of it even makes sense - if you try to analyse it even a tiny bit the whole idea falls apart? Plot holes galore.
Sorry, Shine. I was really hoping for some creepy horror with this but found myself bored more often than not. And on finishing the story, I'm mostly just annoyed at myself for not bothering to DNF the multiple times I'd considered it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Violence, and Gore
ishouldreadthat's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
While the book started out great, I found the ending to be a bit of a letdown. I have a lot of logistical questions!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Torture and Violence
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