Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

97 reviews

hannahcowdell's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Not the best book I’ve read from the dark academia genre. Generally well written but the characters felt a bit flat and the dialogue lapses into cliche at times. That said, the plot had enough twists and turns to keep me compelled enough to finish it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, and Violence

elanuruysal's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death, and Murder

nevet03's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

courtneym93's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Murder, Car accident, and Suicide

aherrst's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, and Toxic friendship

ellenigrace's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

The characters fell flat for me and the plot was SO slow to start up (one of the main events mentioned in the blurb doesn't happen until over half way through). Once the plot had started in earnest I found the many threads hard to follow and untangle.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Murder

poetology's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

3.75

An atmospheric and engaging book with a few weaknesses in dialogue and plot. I fell for the dark academia vibe and read it in two days.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Death

pwiant17's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A murder mystery thriller centered around an ancient set of tarot cards. Honestly, I thought this book was going to be more fantastical than it was, and so I was disappointed by the execution of the idea. Decent, but  Ann Stilwell was reduced from a serious academic to a calculated murderer. Was a little weird to me 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Murder

teganbeesebooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Car accident, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Violence

kiwij96's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

3.5

I absolutely adored the concept for this book and the cover art so I had to give it a go. I went into this thinking it would be a dark academia type book with the focus on tarot and fate and choices. However, none of this really happened on-page. All the reasons I picked the book up and what made me want to read it happened off-page and so that was a major disappointment. 

However, I stuck with it purely to see where the story would go, and I can honestly say I don't know where it went. All the characters were plain and unlikeable. Ann was way too trusting, and was constantly comparing herself to Rachel and genuinely came across as obsessive sometimes it was a bit unnerving. And then the romance sub-plot was completely unnecessary. The book would have been the exact same without it. The FMC was also just too nice and trusting, she went along with everything. I was getting frustrated at how much everyone just avoided her questions and hid everything from her, and she just,,,let them? 

For all its faults, the book was okay. The discoveries and the twist that happened towards the end were good. But I'm not sure if it has any rereadability. But it was an easy read, it just lacked the academia that I wanted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Death

Moderate: Car accident, Grief, Toxic friendship, Murder, and Drug use

Minor: Eating disorder and Suicide