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phoebereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
This book absolutely floored me. I inhaled it in a single day. It's a brilliant and haunting book that cuts right into the power and pain that cults are centered around. Courtney Summers has the ability to write incredibly compelling characters and the girls who her stories are centered around are given the chance to be messy and hurt, but yet still find their inner power and strength. The girls of The Project are no different, and Lo and Bea's story is deeply compelling and traumatic and real. Where the book really shines is in how it pulls both the reader and Lo into this world of the Unity Project until we too begin to buy into them, or at least until we begin to truly understand why anyone would join such a group, including Bea. The horror and the abuse that underlie cults, like in real life, is saved for later until you've already been drawn in too far. The characters of the Unity Project too are all deeply complicated and again, a masterful portrayal of all the different people involved in allowing cults to continue and succeed. This is ultimately a book about pain and grief and the things we do to try to heal and feel whole, even when the paths that puts us on are deadly.
I really loved this book and I can't recommend it enough. Bravo to Courtney Summers.
**Thank you to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really loved this book and I can't recommend it enough. Bravo to Courtney Summers.
**Thank you to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
joceraptor's review
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
a bit faltering, a bit muddled. this book doesn't seem to commit to much - even the age of the character and writing put this in that gray area between traditional ya/adult stories. there are some solid ideas, but poor pacing and underdeveloped characterization. i just wanted more on every front.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide
a bit faltering, a bit muddled. this book doesn't seem to commit to much - even the age of the character and writing put this in that gray area between traditional ya/adult stories. there are some solid ideas, but poor pacing and underdeveloped characterization. i just wanted more on every front.betweentheshelves's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was tense and emotional right from the beginning, and it honestly doesn't let up until the end. Another masterpiece by Courtney Summers!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence
infinitejess's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Grief
danielghurst's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Project by Courtney Summers tells the story of Lo Denham, an aspiring journalist who wants to expose the cult that took her sister. To do so, she'll have to get close to the very people she's trying to destroy and question everything she believes.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Summers' writing is vibrant and gritty, the story is intriguing, and the characters are complicated. I could appreciate Lo's cynicism and bluntness that she uses to mask her trauma and pain. If you enjoy stories about cults, questioning faith/religion, or sisters, you might just love this book!
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Summers' writing is vibrant and gritty, the story is intriguing, and the characters are complicated. I could appreciate Lo's cynicism and bluntness that she uses to mask her trauma and pain. If you enjoy stories about cults, questioning faith/religion, or sisters, you might just love this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Religious bigotry
the_librarian's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Grief