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baileykmaier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Eating disorder
kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Torture, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Self harm, Confinement, Cursing, Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexual content, and Gun violence
hopebeshears'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? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, and Torture
brynhayes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Stalking, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, Violence, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, and Sexual content
sierranorgan's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, and Stalking
bella_01's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Dysphoria, Confinement, Death, Toxic relationship, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Gun violence, and Gaslighting
Minor: Gore, Murder, and Blood
liviaecs'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Confinement, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, and Death
marisacarpico's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I will say, Hoover really overwrites her characters’ emotional beats. So many sentiments felt repeated to death and his whole book could easily be 20-30 pages shorter and a lot more thrilling. The middle section, where this is just emotional manipulation and gaslighting is tough to read and not having to sit with it so long might make this more emotionally resonant overall. Hoover writes herself out of the corner she puts the characters into, but just barely. This concept might be easier to swallow as a film, honestly. We just have to suspend our disbelief and struggle to keep our sympathy with Leeds for too long in book form. I genuinely considered DNF’ing this for a minute.
The time jumping really felt affected for so much of the book and it ends at a key turn, but you can feel the construction in a way I didn’t like. Also, it’s too hard to believe a choice the characters make re: a visit from some guests in the last act. There’s a reason for it, but it’s just one step too far in asking us to believe theses characters aren’t dumb as fuck. Also, really stupid to ask us to believe Leeds is so curious about Willow yet never takes 5 minutes to see if anyone died in the house or to do some research into why the previous owners suddenly abandoned it. Hoover might be too big to get hard edits at this point, but her editor is asleep at the wheel if they’re just letting shit like that slip by.
Anyway, I seem really critical on this, but it’s got enough that works about it that I don’t think the flaws totally ruin the experience. It’s no Verity, but I do have to appreciate what Hoover was trying to do even if she doesn’t do it particularly well.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Death, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Blood and Body horror
coulro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Murder, and Eating disorder
froggybooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Death, Murder, Confinement, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Dementia, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Stalking, and Torture
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent