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jaimc'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Classism, Gore, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
Minor: War, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, and Lesbophobia
ilaxaria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Classism
Moderate: Homophobia, Ableism, Lesbophobia, Racism, War, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence
Minor: Alcoholism
bluelillybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
After a very mysterious and intriguing prologue, the first two chapters felt rushed to me. We get introduced to a bunch of new characters, including the 13 others canditates of the game and the main character, as well as the host of the game. That's a lot of information to throw at a reader in the first chapters of a book! I get that this tempo might throw some people off, but believe me it. is. worth. it. And I totally get now why we had to rush through those first character portraits (but would 20 more pages really have hurt? i think not).
The plot picked up quick and I was immediately immersed in Kiersten White's world. I liked how I didn't care for some characters and cared a lot for others, just like our main character Mack does. Following several characters' point of view into their hiding places increased suspense and helped the reader put together clues before Mack could with the little information she had.
Can I just say without spoiling anything that I love Brandon and he deserves the world and I'd come live with him in his grandma's house and play games with him and eat pizza and knit him a Christmas sweater and make friendship bracelets ANY DAY.
Also, lesbians! Also, Greek retelling! What's not to love?
Graphic: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Blood, Child death, Gore, Cursing, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Self harm
carleneb's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Violence and Suicide
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Violence, Cursing, Classism, Child death, Abandonment, Racism, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Grief, Gore, Death, and Blood
jaedia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Murder, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, and Suicide
trishupaper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The flow of the book is smooth and fast. I think it had a good balance of giving us character stories and backgrounds without sacrificing the pace of the horror elements.
Graphic: Gore, Classism, Child death, and Death
ripxw'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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Classism, Death, Ableism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Religious bigotry and Homophobia
mauvesoul's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Blood, Gore, Homophobia, Classism, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Torture
Minor: Medical trauma, Medical content, Misogyny, and Lesbophobia
patchy_at_best'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Classism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Lesbophobia
phantomgecko's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
There were a lot of characters, but even the shortlived ones had enough personality for all of them to be distinct characters. Some were meant to likable, others unlikable, but others still were open to either option. Or neither.
There were a lot of perspective shifts, which usually bothers me (especially multiple shifts within a single scene), but it fed the fast pace of the book. It also helped give dimension to so many people.
Mack's super upsetting backstory was an interesting facet of the story. Of all the motivations in the story, hers was the wildest to me. It made perfect sense, but woof. Like, you have "I am tired of being a door-to-door salesman" and even "I was banished from my polygamist cult" which feel solid and normal (ish). Then Mack's like, "Yeah hiding is kinda my thing (tm) because
I resonated with the social commentary so I didn't mind it. For example, the book divided them into two groups: losers and hustlers, but really, they were all unhappy and unsuccessful. A fun reminder that we have more in common than we think. And then the extensive emphasis on what is or isn't hard work and what people do or don't deserve... (For real, multiple times, my husband has started a conversation this morning about current events, and I was like, "So I just read this book..."...)
Also, a faithful movie adaptation would be incredible.
A lot lot lot of language though, so that's not my favorite.
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Blood, Suicide, Violence, and Death
Minor: Child abuse and Lesbophobia
Gratuitous f-word