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danimacuk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual content, Stalking, Violence, Gun violence, and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Homophobia
noveltay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racial slurs, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Emotional abuse
zombiezami's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Racial slurs, Car accident, Gaslighting, Grief, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Drug use, Child death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Addiction, and Drug abuse
Minor: Bullying, Rape, Sexual violence, and Murder
jonathaneden's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Violence, Murder, Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Minor: Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
sdsmith80's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read this book for a bookclub I'm in (shout-out to the Ghoulish Discord bookclub!) and I'm very pleased with the pick! It is truly very well written, and it's really hard to believe that this was her debut novel. The characterizations were excellent, and it was easy to slip into Hilton's head as he felt like he was losing his sanity.
By the end I very much cared about each person, and dreaded the conclusion. Even though there were plenty of clues leading up to the final moments, and I had a good idea of what was going to happen, it didn't lessen the emotional impact when it came.
There is a reason Tananarive Due is so well regarded, and this book illustrates it clearly.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Hate crime, Death, Gore, Blood, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Infidelity
Moderate: Car accident, Sexual content, and Mental illness
Minor: Grief, Gun violence, and Homophobia
bookishbutch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Hate crime, and Murder
lilias's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Child death, Sexual content, Grief, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Blood, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Death of parent
rorikae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Hilton is living a good life with his wife and his two children until his wife suddenly begins receiving racist threats. As the only elected African American judge in their county, they suspect this is coming from one of the men she previously prosecuted but there is trouble pinning down exactly who is sending the threats. As these threats stack up, Hilton begins to have bizarre dreams that seem to merge into his reality. Seemingly tied to these threats and potentially to a near fatal accident when he was a child, Hilton begins to wonder if his dreams are caused by the stress of the threats or by a supernatural force.
Tananarive Due is so good at introducing relatable characters and then slowly turning up the horror in their lives. That is true in the first book of hers I read, 'The Good House,' and is just as true in 'The Between.' Due introduces us to Hilton as a child and then we jump into his life as an adult as we get to know his family, his job, and his day to day life. She then promptly disrupts this normalcy with the racist threats that Hilton's wife receives and his mental state as he tries to protect his family. As his dreams begin to escalate, Due keeps the reader guessing right alongside Hilton, wondering if he is having a psychic break or if there is something supernatural to his increasingly frightening dreams. Due weaves in grander themes just as we are pulled into the specificity of Hilton's experience.
I'm a bit conflicted about the ending but I do think it would be a good book to discuss as part of a book club. I think the ending fits even if it isn't the ending that I would have hoped for.
Whenever I am looking for a book that will bring horror right alongside an engaging story and relatable characters, I will definitely be turning to more of Due's work.
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, and Violence
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Sexual content
seawarrior's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I highly recommend this book to those interested in unconventional horror novels, but please be warned that the threat of racist violence hangs heavy over the James family throughout most of the book, and the verbal intimidations issued by the perpetrator are more than disturbing to read. If that's something you're able to stomach though, I imagine you will also become quickly engrossed in this story and Due's skill in writing it.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Medical content
Minor: Homophobia