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vaxis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The narrative switches between third person limited, usually during a flashback, and second person. Normally I really dislike second person; this is handled as though someone is narrating Harrow's actions and responses to her. It's not a narrative trying to get you to imagine yourself as the character, but someone explaining what is going on to someone who is having some memory difficulties.
The other thing I heard is that this is a book that gaslights you, and that is largely due to a lot of contradictory information that differs from Gideon and is clarified later. Spoiler explainer:
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Violence, Body horror, Blood, Gaslighting, War, Vomit, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Colonisation
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage
thereadinghammock's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Harrow was a most unreliable narrator, by her own admission most of the time, and the hardest part was not knowing why she didn't trust herself, whether for her own protection AND plot device, or just as a plot device. This was also the first time I've read second person POV outside of a romance novel. It took a bit of getting used to, as it often does for me, and because we kept switching in and out of the second and third person narratives.
As I expect from all the Locked Tomb books, Harrow is heavy with world and lore building, but only occasionally felt bogged down by it. I felt myself zoning out a bit in longer Harrow 2nd POV chapters, mostly because Harrow herself is such a pill most of the time and she was a bit draining for me as a reader. But I am dreadfully interested in the massive left turn that Nona is going to take us!
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, and Dementia
Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, and Gore
Minor: Gaslighting, Grief, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Panic attacks/disorders
queenie_ofthe_void's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Gun violence, Vomit, Bullying, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
cinnamonandpancakes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Murder, Toxic friendship, and War
fjalar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Death, Body horror, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Colonisation, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual content
khargaotte'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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Murder, Blood, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Gore
Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Genocide and Colonisation
olivia_manes'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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Gore
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child death, Colonisation, and War
peach_pie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and War
daydreamermoonwalker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The first half of the book was really confusing and kinda boring, but I kept reading because I love the characters and wanted to see what happened to them. I'm glad I did, because the second half of the book was excellent. It was fast paced and all the mysteries from the first half got answered. Another thing to note is that a good chunk of the book is written in 2nd person pov, which was an interesting experience. And it's very different in tone compared to Gideon the Ninth, which isn't a bad thing, just a bit jarring.
Updated review: 5/5 stars
This books is *so* much better the 2nd time reading it. All the confusing aspects from the first read make more sense, but it's complex enough that you're still trying to figure out all the details and foreshadowing. The 2nd person POV is weird to get used to at first but god is it genius. This is one of those books that's so complex, interesting, and just plain funny that I'll be rereading it for years to come. Oh and I absolutely love Muir's writing style. Again it's kinda weird at first, but once I got into it it was fantastic.
Graphic: Murder, Alcohol, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Violence, Stalking, Vomit, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Body horror, and Colonisation
Minor: Chronic illness, Sexual content, and War
ashyouwish'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Blood, Vomit, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Grief, Genocide, Cursing, Chronic illness, Confinement, Colonisation, Cannibalism, Cancer, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide