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rensmagiclibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Fatphobia, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Slavery, Trafficking, Classism, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Torture, Body horror, Death, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
bashsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
My biggest issues with Haunting Adeline are as follows:
1) Its writing style is bad. This author cannot write for shit. This book is extremely vague and noncommittal in its descriptions, frustratingly unwilling to give much specific information about the world, and unbelievably cringe-worthy in its dialogue.
2) It promotes a pretty fucked up view gender - the world of Haunting Adeline implies that even the best of men are predators and even the most strong-willed of women are victims/prey. I could go on about this point with a few dozen examples, but I will boil it down to the most galling one: at one point, there are two victims of human trafficking being discussed - one an adult woman described as a "twenty-four year old girl" and one a child, a little boy. And there is more time and focus put on how this poor "girl" than the actual child. It goes without saying that it's normal to feel for any victims of trafficking, but I find it suspicious that in a book that pulls out pedophilia and child abuse as an excuse for every other crime committed, more focus is given to the female victim, who is an adult, than the literal child - and of course, she's infantilized.
3) Putting a warning that says "this isn't antisemitic" at the beginning of a book is not sufficient. You have to actually not perpetuate antisemitic propaganda in the book. Saying "oh I just like conspiracy theories and it's just my twisted mind" and then vomitting the contents of right-wing Facebook memes onto the page is an act of both idiocy and hubris. God, the ego on this Carlton.
There is a lot more I could gripe about - like how the male lead Z justifies his murders in the most annoying and unconvincing ways or how the titular Adeline just takes him at his word about everything despite him stalking and raping her or the super pervasive ableism or the absolutely weaksauce attempt at class analysis or how this is absolutely catnip for white women who believe they're going to be kidnapped at Target - but I'll just save us both some time and sanity and tell you not to bother with this dumpster fire of a book. If you're looking for a dark bit of smut, just pull up AO3.
Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Violence, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Classism, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Ableism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Blood, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism and Torture
Minor: Death of parent
katierosecrane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The actual book was nice easy to read and kept me intrigued. I wouldn’t give it 5 stars because I didn’t think the ending was as shocking as I thought. Great book though, loved it.
Graphic: Sexual content, Slavery, Stalking, Car accident, Child death, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Torture
riella_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Car accident, Classism, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual content, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Death of parent, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Torture, Child death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Murder, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Infidelity, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
gravelhayley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Graphic: Death, Classism, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Stalking, and Trafficking
sleepyochre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Mental illness, Murder, Blood, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Car accident, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Classism, Violence, Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Rape, and Stalking
cait's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Minor: Stalking, Child death, Trafficking, Death, Alcohol, Classism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, and Sexual harassment
uwuramengirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Stalking, Trafficking, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Rape, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Torture
agoraphobic_crawfish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ABOUT:
Adeline inherits her family home and moves in despite her mother hating the idea. It is the house her great-grandmother was murdered in. She discovers her great-grandmothers journals, uncovering a hidden affair between her and a nameless stalker. And history is repeating itself with Adeline. She has her own stalker. And she can't seem to get rid of him. Or the ghost of her great-grandmother that haunts the halls of the house she once lived in. Battling her stalker and the mystery of the murder Adeline is thrown into a dangerous game of Cat and Mouse.
THOUGHTS:
Whew, where the hell do I begin? Originally, I was avoiding this book as I had no interest in the plot when I first heard of it. However, my sister loves toxic/dark-romances and suggested it. So here I am. In the beginning I wasn't tuned in nor liking the book. Adeline seemed like a bitchy character at first but her personality paired well with Zade. He's not indecisive. He's obsessive. His character is put on a high-pedestal and Zade certainly thinks of himself as a God. Which was kind of cringe in some moments. He's a murderer but he doesn't kill innocent people. He does good things for others, but that doesn't make him a hero, which he is aware of.
Zade and Adeline's relationship is obviously not healthy or normal. Their love surely isn't love. There's really not an explanation on why he "loves" Addie. Feels more like obsessive lust.
The writing isn't terrible. It's good. In some areas the wording doesn't flow well, and I was stuck on the same page until I forced myself to continue on. In the end I did get into it though. Haunting Adeline isn't for everyone, and while I may not like it 100% it is an okay read.
It also ends on a cliffhanger, so I need to know what happens next lmao.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Classism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Stalking, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, and Violence