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lindsayerin'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
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Mental illness, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
abigalewood's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, and Confinement
Minor: Sexism, Violence, and Stalking
chichisode's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Cursing, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Violence
maribsmith'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
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Animal cruelty, Grief, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
rayo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
We see how the system failed our main character, not that it’s and excuse for his behavior but it causes you to feel sympathy for him and really understand his story. None of what he did is justifiable but I was able to feel sorry for him and acknowledge the fact that he was a depraved human being, who did wrong things, he sought for help but he wasn’t given any.
The last chapter made me cry honestly because I couldn’t bear it, the what could have been, the only if, the unfolding of the impossible. Oh goodness😭
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, and Suicide
nicolesorial's review
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Child death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: Cancer and Rape
federo999's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Death, and Murder
Minor: Child death
anastaciareadsstuff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I just finished listening to this on audiobook and I really enjoyed it. Though the title would lead you to believe that this is a thriller it's more of a character driven study on the age-old argument of nature versus nurture. The story is told in multiple points of view. Our main character is a man convicted of serial murders who is on death row counting down to the day of his execution. The other characters are an array of people that interacted with him throughout his life.
I found this to be incredibly interesting. I enjoyed the multiple timelines and different points of view. It raises questions as to whether psychopathy is something you're born with or something that can be created by childhood trauma.
As I said this is not a edge of your seat thriller so it does take some patience to get to the end but it is also rewarding.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Animal cruelty, Murder, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Blood, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Confinement, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Racism, Sexual violence, Stalking, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide
ashleysbookthoughts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The killer is still centered here. Yes, we get the women’s stories, but really only as they relate to him, as a way to tell his story. And, while I genuinely don’t think it was Kukafka’s intention, there’s an underlying feeling in the book that if the women had made one different choice or done something differently, he could have turned out differently. She explicitly states that he’s at fault, and the idea that one different choice/moment could change everything is a big theme of the book, but her narrative kind of feels like she’s blaming them. Finally, we STILL don’t get the victims’ stories. We get their hypothetical futures ala quantum theory, but not their lives.
The following are minor nitpicks, but they distracted me to the point of taking me completely out of the story:
1. On at least two occasions, she inexplicably uses adjectives when adverbs were necessary, making the sentence read very strangely.
2. 1990 =/= “The 90’s” A college freshman in Vermont in 1990 MAY have heard of Nirvana but they weren’t ubiquitous (Bleach had been released independently, but Nevermind hadn’t come out yet; they weren’t well-known). It’s VERY unlikely she’d have a “forgotten Nirvana concert tee.” Similarly, she wouldn’t have been “walking across campus listening to Pearl Jam” because they hadn’t put out an album yet (not to mention Walkmans and Discmans didn’t really go everywhere with us), and she probably wouldn’t have yet known who Courtney Love was, let alone dressed like her. 1990 still had a much more 80’s vibe.
3. “She travelled alone for months, breasts heavy with milk” If you’re not nursing/pumping, that milk dries up fast, especially if you’re as malnourished as that character was.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Animal death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent and Child death