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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
God this was disturbing, probably shouldn’t have read it at 12. Then again, disturbing is what makes good horror.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I only read this book because I remember it being the only book my grandma and mom ever spoke of enjoying when I was younger. Now that I look back, I don't remember them ever giving a reason why. And honestly, how could they have? Despite the cringey subject matter, the writing style felt cheap. There were particular points V.C. Andrews made sure to stick in and then nothing came of it. It felt like it was only trying to get a momentary rise out of me by dangling drama and then it hoped I had forgotten about it by the time it was supposed to deliver. Nothing hit hard--even the "plot twists" were visible a mile away. It fell flat even when it tried so hard to shock.
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Abandonment
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I came across this novel on a 'horror books to read before you die' style Reddit thread, not the ideal place to scout for books I'll admit, but the glowing recommendation made me bite the bullet and scrounge up a copy anyway. After finishing it, I can safely say I don't agree with that opinion.
The story was tonally very inconsistent, going from tense to comedic seemingly at random. There is definitely praise to be said for the sense of unease this book provides, but it's almost entirely offset by just how rushed this book feels - something I didn't exactly feel vindicated to find was true. (If a writer brags about just how little time it took for them to complete their work... to call it a red flag would be an understatement.)
This haphazard brisk pace is all the more apparent when you reach the book's conclusion. You could argue that the lack of satisfying ending reflects the more sombre tone of the story, that overarching sense of undue punishment / reward imparted on the reader. *I* would argue that that would be giving the writer far too much credit when the rest of the novel contains all the tact and subtlety of a ballistic missile strike.
The story was tonally very inconsistent, going from tense to comedic seemingly at random. There is definitely praise to be said for the sense of unease this book provides, but it's almost entirely offset by just how rushed this book feels - something I didn't exactly feel vindicated to find was true. (If a writer brags about just how little time it took for them to complete their work... to call it a red flag would be an understatement.)
This haphazard brisk pace is all the more apparent when you reach the book's conclusion. You could argue that the lack of satisfying ending reflects the more sombre tone of the story, that overarching sense of undue punishment / reward imparted on the reader. *I* would argue that that would be giving the writer far too much credit when the rest of the novel contains all the tact and subtlety of a ballistic missile strike.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Incest, Sexual assault
Moderate: Child death, Rape
Iban a ser 3, ata que pasa *algo* totalmente innecesario para a historia e asqueroso que me fixo querer vomitar.
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes