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clarabooksit's review against another edition
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Murder, and Child death
piperclover'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? It's complicated
2.75
I'm not sure how to rate this. This book is not for me. I am not the demographic that should be reading this and I wish I knew that going into the book but unfortunately I didn't realize that until over 35% of the way through. Its definitely creepy, grotesque, and spooky alright. The last 25% really unravels and picks up speed but the first 75% are not boring by any means.
There's quite a few things that bothered me in this but a lot of that was just that this has a lot of genre/tropes I don't like so those gripes are excused by that- like Victorian era sexism. There are 3 things though that I did dislike regardless. (1) You never really find out how long ago most people died or how old some characters are which left me a little confused at the nature of certain relationships or details of the plot. (2) I also really dislike the resolution/the why this curse is happening. It's such a cheap and trite reason and I'm just so tired of everything boiling down to
All of that being said, I did enjoy large portions of this and I enjoyed even some of the horror aspects because I found them entertaining and intriguing. It's just that horror and Victorian era are some of my least favorite genres and mixed with the 3 issues above, I just don't think I can rate it very high. The narrator was amazing though
Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol and Body horror
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, and Suicide
sammymantis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Vomit
toriwatson'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Death, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, Body horror, and Blood
magellen'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
3.0
The twist on a twist on a twist just...it feels like a beta reader should have gone 'this one works the best, lean into THIS angle' and instead the author piled up everything that ever crossed her mind. The cast sprawls, the descriptions drag on without being punchy, and any moment the mc knows herself is overridden, made malleable by others to progress the plot.
I've seen this described as an example of unreliable narrator - ehhhh I disagree. Literally all you need to know is in the narration. Information is not withheld by the narrator, the narrator's opinion does not color the facts, there is nothing unreliable about it. If people use 'unreliable narrator' I can see it applied to a couple endgame chapters where there's a gaslighting, but again, it's not unreliable narration, it is an mc set up to have no self when challenged by others.
It's a ya romance with gothic overlay. Does what it says on the tin, but by the end you are apt to be exhausted by the pivot twist pivot turn of the back third.
Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Murder, Pregnancy, and Grief
merle_bookdragon'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? Yes
4.0
Definitely an interesting and more sinister take on the fairy tale of the 12 dancing princesses and it thoroughly messed with my head. When I thought I had figured out what was real and what was an illusion the whole thing was tipped over its head again.
I truly am happy that Cassius turned back up. I was scared for a while at the beginning that he might be the bad guy but I quickly he wasn't. Morella being the evil stepmother fit much better into the fairy tale but I thought maybe it would be a different take. It wasn't, but that's okay. I'm just happy that Verity lives because damn that girl had a rough time and I'm glad Cassius saved her.
ALSO so happy that Annaleigh got to be Keeper of Light at the end. It suits her so well and I think she will have a good future with Cassius there. Or at least that's what I'm imagining for them.
“Oh my darling Annaleigh, remember when you let the turtles go? Some things can't be kept." He cupped my cheek, and my tears trickled down his fingers. "Be brave. Be strong. You'll always have my whole heart.”
Graphic: Violence, Death, Child death, Grief, Body horror, Murder, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Blood, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent
chichalexisse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I think it will be read mostly for the plot because I didn't get attached to the characters as much as I would like to. But I still liked Annaleigh and ofc Cassius, my half-god love.
My sweet Verity, I just wanna hug you. You didn't deserve every single one of those bad experiences.
Hi, fisher rip.
My favorite name out of all of them is Ligeia. (Fisher makes sense but…. huh? Hannah? why?)
Thanks so much for the rec france my sweet little book recommendator
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Pregnancy, and Body horror
shannasbooksnhooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was a fun book, and I'm glad I decided to give it another shot.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Body horror and Pregnancy
Despite this, I will say that it was a bit curious how Annaleigh kept relying on the men in her life - mainly Ortun (her dad), Fisher, and Cassius. However, it did make sense because she's probably, at most, in her late teens and not entirely sure how to handle the situation she was in. Additionally, her reliance on Fisher and Cassius seemed driven by the fact that her family - Ortun, Morella (stepmother), and her sisters - were not listening to her or her concerns. Fisher and Cassius appeared to be the only ones taking her concerns seriously.mysterymom40's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Pregnancy, Blood, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual content, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Death, Sexual harassment, Grief, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Medical content, and Gaslighting
Minor: Misogyny
slvt4b00ks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Grief, Death, Body horror, Suicide, Pregnancy, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Animal death, Alcohol, Murder, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Gore, Chronic illness, and Child death