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mariahkindareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Self harm, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Pedophilia and Pregnancy
tspice24'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? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Outing, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Infidelity
delphine_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The book goes back and forth between Amaya’s point of view of events over a few days, and the accounts of other characters who give their own perspective. It makes it really interesting and is a splendid set up for some really well engineered reveals and progression points.
The morals of everybody involved are delightfully twisted and the book left me feeling like well- that was even more messed up than I thought. But in a good way. The layers of morality.
It was also a really fun projection into both Sri Lanka and the high society of that place. It really felt like I could place myself there, the world was really well brought to life.
My only gripe with the book- but it’s a pretty big gripe- is the laying it on thick about one of the characters. I think it could have been more subtle and the result of it was just a lot. I would have been sold just as effectively with less.
This is a bit sad as the book otherwise does a great job of depicting tense relationships, two-faced individuals, and
Finally another gripe would be the little faux pas of implying
All in all I liked this book a great deal and couldn’t stop listening, I am delighted to have spent time with this, and picked up another book by this author. Read the trigger warnings REALLY carefully, because they’re no joke. But if you’re good to go, then I could not recommend it enough.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Self harm, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Car accident, Pedophilia, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcoholism, Rape, Colonisation, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, and Blood
martamae77's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Classism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Outing, and Homophobia
cassielaj's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Self harm, Addiction, Murder, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Sexual violence
bree_of_the_woods's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.75
Very slow going, with disturbed MC who has very dark, violent thoughts about others and engages in self-harm.
All of the characters are unpleasant in varying degrees. Towards the end, Jayatissa begins throwing in so many plot twists/fact reveals that feel like a few too many. Ending was an abrupt, bizarre wrap-up, that left one major line of facts out of the final “whodunnit story” and none of the characters ask about it, and then you get more layers of unpleasant characters that by the last page I was left with a very “what the heck did I just read” sort of bad taste in my mouth.
Graphic: Violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Gun violence and Self harm
Minor: Pregnancy and Pedophilia
maregred's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Cancer, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
ekmook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Classism, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Pregnancy
getlitwithamy_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
The first thing you’d imagine when reading a book about an obsessive woman who plans to stop her best friend’s wedding at all costs, especially when she’s marrying your ex boyfriend, you normally know where things will go. But that was not the case here.
I ZIPPED through this book! There were times where I was sure I knew where the plot was going but was still left surprised when a new twist came up. Amanda Jayatissa really knows how to impact a reader!
The one downside is that the characters were hard to like. The main character Amaya seemed unlikeable for most of the book, but that was probably intended so we can see into her true intentions.
Overall, this is a great read about traumatic pasts, gossip, and the things people will do to get their way.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
juliaaa02's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Gun violence, Classism, Xenophobia, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Misogyny
Minor: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy