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rynstagram's review against another edition
3.5
The other device used was that the narrator addresses the reader(s). This, unfortunately, felt gimmicky. Especially with all the comments like, "you've probably already seen this" but then explaining them anyway. Those were strange, because if in this world it's something I've already seen, why address it like this? It takes you out of the world, if not the story itself. Because I think this device is supposed to take you out of the main story, but not the whole world created in the book.
I'm still a bit confused about the ending explanations. It was a bit rushed. I'm not necessarily upset that not everything was explained (I don't actually mind that), it was more that some characters' motivation weren't clear. There were attempts at explanation that were really obscured by the way they were depicted. And while I do not mind a confusing, unexplained book, this was one too many layers of confusion for me.
I can also add this book into the books about stories that include bees/wasps that I've read. Except this one was just yellow jackets, and they play a role in quite a few characters' deaths, which I found the most terrifying of all the things that were supposed to be terrifying. But the book was a bit slow and not really that scary. It was super meta, which might be why the horror wasn't so strong.
We didn't get to see enough of how the three main characters in the current day storyline became close and then not and then close again. There was a lot of, like, "it just was that way" or "they were all feeling it" and not a lot of buildup to getting there, especially when Merritt's distaste for Audrey did a random 180.
PLUS, this book is not fully dark academia. This is totally not a fault with the actual book but the way it is marketed. It's like a meta horror/thriller, I think. I don't know. But only like a third of this I would consider dark academia. (Still gonna use it for a reading challenge prompt, tho, because it's a big book so even a third could be a full book lol).
Anyway... While The Starless Sea and The Raven Cycle may have made me hate bees much, much less, I can't say I'm a fan of yellow jackets now. In fact, I might find them scarier than before... (Yellow jackets the wasps, not the clothing. I could rock a yellow jacket.)
Graphic: Death
ticktock's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
mengzhenreads'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault and Pregnancy
km_loves_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Suicide, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, and Mental illness
cerilouisereads's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Suicide, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing and Pregnancy
lostinthelibrary's review
- 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
Moderate: Body horror and Death
Minor: Homophobia
julesadventurezone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
cjblates's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
spiderwitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, and Drug use
Moderate: Dementia, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Biphobia
spamsbyjam'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
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Vomit