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flordemaga's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I wanted to rate higher, but couldn’t. The book is a bit slow on the first third, grows considerably stronger in the second third with a tense atmosphere and stakes that feel high, and then… a messy last third with immersion breaking character speak and kind of a boring ending.
Mandy is easily the strongest character, with a unique voice and a good portrait of an autistic character without being infantilizing nor ignoring disability.
The rest of the character voices are, I feel, not distinct enough. Carter is the second most distinct voice. The rest kind of get muddled together.
But what I hate the most: some of the dialogue, especially at the end when it super shouldn’t be, gets preachy and stilted and sounds unbelievable. Like… The author expects me to believe like these traumatized 18 year olds would be speaking like they just got out of their weekly therapy session after they’ve faced Horrors. It’s deeply unrealistic and ridiculous and immersion-breaking as hell. But okay.
It really pissed me off and that with the unclear character voices just really turned me off and I kinda wish I didn’t actually read this one.
Mandy is easily the strongest character, with a unique voice and a good portrait of an autistic character without being infantilizing nor ignoring disability.
The rest of the character voices are, I feel, not distinct enough. Carter is the second most distinct voice. The rest kind of get muddled together.
But what I hate the most: some of the dialogue, especially at the end when it super shouldn’t be, gets preachy and stilted and sounds unbelievable. Like… The author expects me to believe like these traumatized 18 year olds would be speaking like they just got out of their weekly therapy session after they’ve faced Horrors. It’s deeply unrealistic and ridiculous and immersion-breaking as hell. But okay.
It really pissed me off and that with the unclear character voices just really turned me off and I kinda wish I didn’t actually read this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Ableism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Bullying, and Addiction
Minor: Car accident and Chronic illness
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