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henrygravesprince's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Alcohol, Death, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Self harm, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Misogyny, Ableism, Animal death, Vomit, and Excrement
Conspiracy theoriesbookeduntil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Death, Alcohol, Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Body horror, and Blood
Moderate: Vomit, Car accident, and Self harm
Minor: Abandonment
sol_journal's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
The writing was pretty enjoyable. There were some bits where the details kind of went over my head, but I tend to read in inconvenient places and times (usually during my downtime at work or late at night before bed) so that could very well be the reason.
- The action that happens in the story hits as it’s happening- if that makes sense. The setting is already building up on eeriness and dread, that feeling like you know something is gonna happen but you don’t know *when*. But you also don’t really expect what will happen until you’re suddenly thrown into the scene.
- This book consumed me. It became a fan-favorite *fast* for the fact that I love this genre of horror. I’m a big fan of the Kids on Bikes TTRPG game ‘Kollok 1991’ and this gave very similar vibes! And if I haven’t stated it enough, I loved SARs stories growing up. This was everything I forgot I loved wrapped into one with a door leading straight into the thick of it (get it? Doors are kinda problematic around here- I’ll see myself out now…)
- I feel like this was horror in that it was creepy, but not too scary? It has some gore though, wonderfully done action scenes IMO that I could almost see when I sat down and focused on reading. I really would say that this is great for people who don’t like to get scared but kind of want a nice little chiller.
- Sometimes the characters grated me by how they acted? Theo has some development, but she says stuff that kinda contradicts? An example- she mentions that a conspiracy theorist isn’t really a bad thing because it means somebody out there is ‘crazier than her’ and also means she’s ’not alone in her belief’. But another scene further in, she uses ‘conspiracist/conspiracy theorist’ as an insult/thinks of them insultingly. It’s little things like this, but I feel like it’s just showing how Theo grows along the way too. Her thoughts do kinda change later/she eventually learns to work with different people. I think it’s the fact that Theo is tough to love at first (but man does she fight her way into your heart by the end)
Moderate: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Blood, Violence, Death, and Grief
Minor: Emotional abuse and Animal death
- The main character’s mother is kinda mean and looks down on her. She’s in a few scenes so that’s the biggest note with the ‘Emotional Abuse’ tag because she does kind of shit-talk her daughter when she’s on-page. - Animal death in that there are creatures described to be canine-like but they aren’t really canines. Not sure if the similarity to dogs, however, would be triggering to people as these creatures do get attacked/killed on-page. - Alcoholism in that the main character leans to the idea of drinking to cope. Its on and off mentioned, but it is mentioned more often in the first half of the book.jettreads's review
- 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? No
3.75
That being said, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of the story. I immediately liked some characters and disliked others, and I was on the fence about some. It's a bit like real life.
I enjoyed reasing the book, but of course I have to look at it with more of a critical eye for a review. The story was too fast. It was great when seemingly random things happen because I felt I was thrown for as much of a loop as the character, but I also need a little more as the reader because I am reading before bed and thennsuddenly thinking, "How did we get here?"
I think I felt a connection with this book because this was written during the pandemic. The drinking, the internal chaos while nothing seemed to be happening Out There when you ooened your door. I thought the author portrayed it well. I just need a liiiiittle more detail for my imagination to world build.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Blood and Violence
rmnedder's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I was enthralled with this book from start to finish. The premise is really intriguing to begin with, but the opening brings you right into the thick of things and doesn't stop moving until the story ends. The prose is so atmospheric and immersive, and the world is well-built. The pacing of the plot was very effective; Bontrager is excellent at weaving in little details and building the foundations of intrigue for the incredibly impactful reveals she sets up for later. It's part of what kept me so invested!
The characters are well-developed, for the most part; I do wish we could have known more about Delilah or Roman. Each of the individual relationships between Theo and the other characters is so nuanced and specific—particularly her relationships with Quinn and Flora—and it's part of what brings a lot of life to a story that deals with a lot of death. I will admit I found Theo to be a bit standoffish at first, and it took me a minute to warm up to her. That being said, once I did warn up to her I found Theo to be a wonderful narrator and protagonist; she's raw, she's earnest, she's determined, and she cares so deeply that it heightens the stakes of the entire rest of the story.
Overall, this was a fantastically spooky and heart wrenching read that left me wanting more long after I had put it down.
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Suicide, and Body horror
Minor: Vomit