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lionfish_22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Gore, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Self harm
Minor: Alcohol and Drug use
gayghostprince's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Medical content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Gore
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Child death, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, War, and Confinement
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
acashton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Moderate: Drug use, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Child death
house_of_hannah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
One of the things I found odd about the book though, is that it doesn't take place in our world for some reason. The name of the country is Great Breltain, with very English sounding town names, so it was obvious what the area was based on. Just seemed like an uneeded change that actually took me out of the story whenever the country was mentioned.
This also isn't a book that you can just casually read and expect to understand everything. This thing is going to take some thought. There is even a chapter that is written in a purposefully confusing way, which I understand the intention behind it, but man did my head hurt a bit. I'm still not sure if I understand everything correctly.
This was close to being a five star read, but the things I've mentioned previously, plus some little things throughout the story, brought it down to a four for me. For example, I have never seen so many perfectly timed rain storms before in my life. There were just too many perfect coincidences for my taste.
However, I really enjoyed the writing, and I thought it brought to life the imagery so well. I feel like all the characters had value, and no one was a throw-away. The plot is well thought out, which I appreciate so freaking much. Jane is also a fantastic character, and if you're looking for a strong female protagonist who does not scream, "I'm not like other girls", then this book is for you !
Graphic: Medical content, Confinement, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Child death and Drug use
Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Self harm, and War
mo345's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Abortion, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcohol and Forced institutionalization
petrolfox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Drug use, Gaslighting, and War
Minor: Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The setting is technically-not-England, which frees it from being beholden to any exact combination of surgical sensibilities with historical accuracy while still conveying a particular feeling by the sum of its details. A surgeon might know the term “ectopic” while still practicing bloodletting and looking down on anyone so backward as to subscribe to miasma theory. Jane is an excellent narrator, highly reliable in how she conveys her thoughts and observations to the reader, but repeatedly stymied as she is less and less able to trust what she learns from other people. I didn’t much like Augustine as a person but he fits his role in the plot very well and is a great character. I love the plot, the pacing is excellent, a great book all around.
Its ending is immensely satisfying, fitting for the characters and in keeping with the horrors which transpire before. If you like surgical horror with magic and madness, don’t miss this one.
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Blood, Gore, Miscarriage, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Mental illness, Self harm, Child death, and Animal death
Minor: Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent