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eelizard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, War, Torture, Child abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Medical content, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Slavery
alexfrankfiction's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
jublian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Medical content, and Chronic illness
kate_303'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, Violence, War, Self harm, and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident, Classism, Abandonment, and Chronic illness
Minor: Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Rape
fkshg8465's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Addiction, Confinement, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
arayo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, Child abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Gaslighting, Blood, Chronic illness, Gore, Child death, Grief, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Biphobia, Alcohol, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Vomit, Cannibalism, Genocide, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Infidelity, Drug use, Rape, Infertility, Police brutality, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
ember_is_gay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
even though this book is so so long, it didn't feel that way at all. i was so caught up in the story and honestly my one complaint is that the ending felt rushed and i would have loved it to have been more dragged out (although i am not sure how much of that is because i just didn't want the book to end).
i honestly cannot wait to read this book again and to find someone who loves it as much as i do so we can spend hours talking about it.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Violence, Animal death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Gore, Murder, Grief, Death, Gaslighting, Slavery, Torture, Child death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm
alicia_rausch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The world, the characters, and the tone of the novel is masterfully done, though it remained much lighter on horror than I expected and the pacing was extremely slow. I found myself wanting to quit this beast multiple times and yet I’m glad I pushed through. I think, a bit like Vampires of El Norte, it was marketed as heavier on the horror than it was - and I was expecting a much larger % of the novel to be action, when in reality it was just a few sequences.
What it is, is a generational drama with horror elements, which should have been how it was advertised. It’s a quiet book, with a creeping sense of dread, and dark elements as we follow the family and how the cult affects each member over time. Like a darker, more effed-up Pachinko.
The rep for LGBTQ+ was well done, and like Pachinko, I greatly enjoyed the historical elements about a time period (and place) I am not overly familiar with.
The actual writing/storytelling was excellent and the way the puzzle fit together at the end was satisfying. I love an ambigious ending so that was a plus for me. But I just could not get past the excruciatingly slow pacing.
To the right reader, this will be an instant favorite - unfortunately, that reader is just not me.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Homophobia, Death of parent, Blood, Gore, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Minor: Gaslighting, Grief, Excrement, Mental illness, Medical content, Animal death, Torture, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts
jzmnz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism
melina03's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Classism, Grief, Child abuse, Body horror, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Addiction, Xenophobia, Torture, Ableism, Biphobia, Violence, and Toxic relationship