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elle_dee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
laurenleigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Classism
Minor: Drug abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
leahrosiee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Self harm and Abandonment
katrinasherise'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fatphobia and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Infidelity, Abandonment, and Classism
One character is a serial rapist. No rape happens in the book but is mentioned during his chapters. One character is FREQUENTLY described in fat phobic descriptors. The story is about murder and several occur including descriptions, blood, guns, drowning, injury, stabbing, etc. lots of drug and alcohol use. Description of a child’s murder. Things that will really spoil the ending/reveals:afaulkner3e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The final reveals that
Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Alcohol, and Classism
elliebeemellie's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The style of writing in this novel isn't my favorite, and there's something distinctly uncomfortable about marinating in a soup of unequivocally terrible people, but the premise of this book is DELIGHTFUL. I have a soft spot for watching people interact on non-linear timelines, and I also loved watching the main character (Aiden) struggle with his sense of self.
The tension ratcheted up nicely as Aiden picked apart the mystery, and while I don't think it's totally possible to predict the ending with the clues you're given, I do think that enough clues are scattered about that it feels earned.
Also, bonus points for where the book landed on the rehabilitation vs permanent incarceration debate.
Graphic: Fatphobia, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
lucyselim'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
dustghosts'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? Yes
4.0
+ Satisfyingly cyclical, repetitive but full of just the right twists and turns that you want to keep reading to figure out what the exact same scene and setup looks like through a different set of eyes
+ Super exciting exploration and expansion of how to use POV to invoke emotion, tell a thrilling story, and string everything together
+ A very charming cast of absolutely unbearable little bastards; feels like you gain an evolving and empathetic understanding of each character with each new day
- Some really egregious fatphobia that feels uncomfortable and gross to read, especially for a contemporary book. Not really skippable, either— while this character has other values to the narrative, fatness is treated as a debilitating moral failing reflective of character.
- So extremely British—
- Near the end, starts to feel as though things are being wrapped up too quickly, not quite as immersive as the rest of the book.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Vomit, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury