Reviews with content warning for Animal cruelty - Haven

This was a true boiling frog novel, in the best way possible. I loved what it was and how it was written at the beginning, and also at the end, but they had two very separate vibes! Personally I really prefer this style of tension buildup to books that are just high anxiety from page one -
Haven got me get invested before giving me absolute heart palpitations!
Definitely check trigger warnings for this one, especially anything regarding religion.

And all of that’s not even getting into the brilliance of Donoghue’s characters. From how we first meet them to the way we last see them, it’s a seamless but astonishing transition for each and every one of them. Amazing!

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kaitsteak's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective sad slow-paced

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? Yes

2.5

CW: religious trauma, animal death and cruelty to LGBTQIA character

Set on Skellig Michael, the book follows three monks in the 7th century as they withdraw from society to form a life of prayer on the skellig. Cormac and Trian are monks who are voluntold to leave with Artt, a cult-leader-wannabe to live on a remote island with little-to-no resources. Predictably, this causes hardship.

Cormac and Trian are thoughtful, well-constructed characters and I enjoyed the parts of the novel where we watch their attempts to make the island their home. I got a good sense of these characters and their motivations. The parts of the novel that center these characters really shine.

Artt is decidedly less of a well-rounded character. He seemed to be almost an archetype of religious mania, and I wish that we as readers got a better sense of his internal motivation.

Another issue I took with the book was the INTENSE amount of animal slaughter in the book. I understand it’s a survival story, but the killing seemed gratuitous.

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