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jessyjessx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Rape, and Child death
blacksphinx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Vomit, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, and Miscarriage
Minor: Murder and Violence
Slut shaming, victim blaming.emroan78's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse
markedwithanm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Suicide, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Death, Grief, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Incest
playswithstring's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Infidelity, Incest, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Child death, Cursing, Death, Abortion, Alcohol, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship
yourfavavery'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
3.25
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, and Sexual violence
bookzombiee19's review against another edition
Graphic: Incest, Child death, Child abuse, and Suicide
delaynakh's review against another edition
4.0
Non linear timeline
One POV (mostly)
Dark AF
Slow Paced
JFC this was exactly what I thought it would be and I still wasn’t prepared.
A great portrayal of grooming and how someone can get so easily trapped in the unthinkable.
I liked how it wove together past and present for Lane but also the story of each Roanoke Girl. The family tree at the beginning of the book was very helpful in remembering who belonged to who once things started to unfold.
Overall: grab if you want a slow burn make your stomach churn family drama - I don’t even know if family drama is the right term here though 🫠
Favorite Character: Cooper
Graphic: Pregnancy, Incest, Rape, Child abuse, Suicide, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Child death, and Abortion
cyntismiles's review against another edition
I picked it up because the blurb sounded like this would be "'Preacher's Daughter' from Ethel Cain's cousin's perspective" which was very intriguing to me. It was definitely not that, don't recommend picking this up for those reasons. Just listen to "Preacher's Daughter" again instead.
I really could not stand how much of the book was about Lane and Cooper's relationship. I understand why Lane is characterized the way she is but I found her very grating. The book has a lot of sex but is not sexy (don't wish it was sexy though, just think that's a good descriptor).
The story felt very obvious to me and it was kind of frustrating for the characters to not see it. The whole book I kept saying "I see the writing on the walls!". Also, the way that Allegra gives us clues from afar was a real obvious plot device to me. It felt very contrived and very dumb. It made her feel fictional. Since I decided to DNF this, I looked up spoilers and would like to say I was absolutely right on all accounts
I also didn't love the characterization of the town because it was really hammered home that the people who lived there were dumb and it was so behind the times. I understand this may have been Lane's interpretation but it felt very weird and more about the book than Lane? Like it was trying to insinuate that only fucked up things happen in fucked up little towns that aren't here in the 21st century! I don't think the author was trying to say that but that was the vibe I was feeling. I know that small towns can be a mess but tbh so can anywhere. Good people can live anywhere just like bad people can live anywhere!
I think this book may do a good job of showing how incest may differ from what people outside the situation perceive it to be and the way groomed individuals may feel about their groomer (although it is gross and not good). It just didn't seem to actually want to be about that? The book felt like "The story of why Lane is so messed up with her own things + her family has weird incest secrets don't mind that!". I appreciate the author attempting to write about this from an outsider-ish perspective (Lane) vs the victim/survivor of the abuse (Allegra) but I think there are books that do this kind of thing better. In the end, I felt that the incest thing was such a plot device to shock the reader and more of the setting than something the author wanted to actually deal with.
Moderate: Incest, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Abortion
madeleinebay's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Incest, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence