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saoreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, and Murder
lilithreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide
snazz07's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
abbytruestory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Torture, and Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape
mme_carton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Car accident
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
readingwithro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
yvonne_cl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
leona'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I feel rather conflicted about this book.
Whilst I have loved the characters, find Jackson's plots deeply intricate and well woven, and love the exploration of how the justice system fails people, I just wasn't that keen on the direction that this went in. I also didn't find it as gripping as I may have (because I accidentally got spoiled online, which obviously isn't the author's fault) but I also was a bit intimidated by this absolute whopper of a book. I don't usually care about reading long books, but for a murder mystery it felt a bit much to me, however the whole book still felt a bit rushed.
I think Jackson does a great job of showing the extent of Pip's trauma, and it was perfectly reasonable. I was sad to see how the naive Pip in book 1 had turned into this grey, troubled and traumatised character, struggling to trust anyone or find an escape from her own head. And again, the author does a brilliant job, (in my opinion) of showing the absolute disgust and rage felt by Pip towards Max. He absolutely deserved everything he got (and more).
I also loved Jackson's way of showing that when the sleuths solve the crime, the story doesn't end. Just because the evidence has been handed over to the police in a neat little package, tied up with a little bow, doesn't mean that justice has been served. And there are serious problems in our justice system, in the UK and across the world, that let criminals walk free, and shame and isolate victims of horrific crimes. And I can completely understand Pip's hatred for the police, and realisation that even though she knows the truth, she can't always prove it.
But that leads me on to the stuff I didn't like, and now there will be major spoilers:
I think that's more or less what I had to say, and overall I would rate it 3.5 stars - I don't think it's an objectively bad ending, just not the ending I wanted. (However I do appreciate Jackson being brave and going in a direction rarely explored before.)
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate bad language: including around 10+ f*** words and probably a few others I forgot about.wortfluesterin'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
alexa_bmn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment