Scan barcode
kkalicky94's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Murder, and Suicide
apersonfromflorida'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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Body horror, Animal death, Bullying, and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement
bria_and_books's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Murder, Child abuse, and Violence
kermit_the_wrong'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gore, Murder, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, and Torture
ashmcdaniel1621'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: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Gore, and Death of parent
lbsalas'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Torture, Confinement, Animal death, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Murder, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
voicenextdoor's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Bullying, Violence, Confinement, Death of parent, Child abuse, Child death, Religious bigotry, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Emotional abuse
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
But in all seriousness this was really good. Despite the “Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies” description, I didn’t find it necessarily frightening as much as I just found it really… upsetting? Tragic? The relationship between Father Andrew and Peter was so endearing, but I also appreciated how Andrew’s character—objectively the best of the priests—is not perfect (I mean, he’s complicit in child abuse).
Peter’s internal struggle the entire book with whether or not to become a priest himself serves as such a good sort-of backdrop to the rest of the story and his role in it as well. I just really liked Peter’s character, and even though I’m not a person of faith, I found his story really moving.
If you like horror that explores religious themes, this is right up your alley.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Murder, Blood, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Chronic illness
ripxw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Murder
Minor: Confinement
teaandtales1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: The St. Vincent's Orphanage houses 30 boys and is run by a small group of priests. There they live an impoverished and strict life under the constant supervision of Father Poole and his henchman Brother Johnson. An already rough situation is made worse when an injured man is brought to the priests by the local sheriff in the middle of the night. To their horror, the man, covered in occult symbols and making sounds no human should make, unleashes something terrible in the orphanage.
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 335
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Horror
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: Absolutely
𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭: no, but considering they're at an orphanage for boys, that makes sense
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝: early 1900s
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book is absolutely tremendous and one of my favorites of the year. It is written in multiple POVs, giving an intimate glimpse in the life of many of the boys (and a few adults) before the chaos begins. Due to this style, you really grow to love many of the characters, which is almost unfortunate as none of them are safe.
Possession and demonic novels always tend to be the scariest stories to me, but throwing it into a group of children is a dramatic and effective move. Fracassi is excellent here, and this will be a long favorite of mine.
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Moderate: Animal death and Fire/Fire injury