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lindavs22's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual content, Cursing, Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Grief, Confinement, and Child death
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Vomit, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Car accident, Child abuse, Abortion, Blood, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Cancer, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
phantasmaboo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier is a dark thriller revolving around a set of serial killings in the Pacific Northwest. The story opens with Georgina (Geo) Shaw being sent to prison for assisting in the murder of her friend, Angela Wong. Geo has cut a deal with the district attorney's office to testify against her boyfriend Calvin, who is accused of being a serial murderer. Upon her release, however, new murders begin happening with the same M.O. as Calvin's, leading to significant questions about who killed Angela and who is continuing this serial killer's legacy.
I have some pretty mixed feelings about this book. First and foremost, there are serious trigger warnings for multiple, graphic sexual assaults (of minors!) throughout the novel as well as incest and domestic abuse. All this leads to a very dark plot that is very likely not something for everyone, so be careful while reading.
Breaking down my feelings, I thought the following:
The Setting
I enjoyed the setting of a somewhat remote area near a city, but not quite part of it. I thought that the small-town feel gave the story a dark atmosphere as well as built up tension regarding who is currently doing what to and with who.
The Plot
I cannot figure out why the author included the first 1/3 of the book at all. This portion describes Geo's time behind bars, but doesn't really add much to the story that could not have been handled had it not been there at all. The majority of the plot lines that begin in this area are not resolved or are resolved quickly with little buy in. Honestly, by the end it felt more like the author wanted us to see Geo traumatized in this setting before moving her home, so that the trauma could aid in "character development" (more on that under characters).
For the overall plot, I thought that it was okay. I would say that the ending is indeed a surprise, but only because the threads are not laid out for the ending to happen until the very last chapters. The ending itself felt pretty anti-climactic, however, and it left me scratching my head as to what the point of this story was. It was definitely more of a "tell" experience than a "show" experience.
The Characters
The characters are generally well-developed, but I do think that it fell into the realm of stereotypes at times. For example, nearly all the female characters are shaped through their traumas, typically sexual abuse, rape, drug use, domestic violence, abandonment, etc. By the end, I don't think there was one woman who was not defined by one of those things. Geo herself is shaped by them. Even one male character is completely defined by his traumas. These events become their entire personalities and character arcs. I felt like there was very little character building outside of the traumatic, and at some points it just felt like trauma porn.
Another thing that didn't sit right with me was the author's depiction of victims of domestic violence, assault, and rape. It seems that she paints these individuals in negative light, casting them as manipulative and not to be trusted. I got the feeling that Hillier felt that she was being dark and edgy in these portrayals, but ultimately just created stereotypical, surface-like characters that fail to develop.
As far as diversity goes, sure, the characters were diverse, but very little is done with their diversity other than point it out. The main character is mixed race, but other than telling us that, there is very little influence on the plot. With the exception of the jail portion, there is no talk that I can remember about how race could have influenced the events of the book.
Overall
Like I said, I didn't dislike this book, but I wouldn't put it on the top of my list either. I personally wouldn't want to read it again because of the graphic sexual assaults of minors and adults portrayed and how those individuals are treated in the writing.
I have some pretty mixed feelings about this book. First and foremost, there are serious trigger warnings for multiple, graphic sexual assaults (of minors!) throughout the novel as well as incest and domestic abuse. All this leads to a very dark plot that is very likely not something for everyone, so be careful while reading.
Breaking down my feelings, I thought the following:
The Setting
I enjoyed the setting of a somewhat remote area near a city, but not quite part of it. I thought that the small-town feel gave the story a dark atmosphere as well as built up tension regarding who is currently doing what to and with who.
The Plot
I cannot figure out why the author included the first 1/3 of the book at all. This portion describes Geo's time behind bars, but doesn't really add much to the story that could not have been handled had it not been there at all. The majority of the plot lines that begin in this area are not resolved or are resolved quickly with little buy in. Honestly, by the end it felt more like the author wanted us to see Geo traumatized in this setting before moving her home, so that the trauma could aid in "character development" (more on that under characters).
For the overall plot, I thought that it was okay. I would say that the ending is indeed a surprise, but only because the threads are not laid out for the ending to happen until the very last chapters. The ending itself felt pretty anti-climactic, however, and it left me scratching my head as to what the point of this story was. It was definitely more of a "tell" experience than a "show" experience.
The Characters
The characters are generally well-developed, but I do think that it fell into the realm of stereotypes at times. For example, nearly all the female characters are shaped through their traumas, typically sexual abuse, rape, drug use, domestic violence, abandonment, etc. By the end, I don't think there was one woman who was not defined by one of those things. Geo herself is shaped by them. Even one male character is completely defined by his traumas. These events become their entire personalities and character arcs. I felt like there was very little character building outside of the traumatic, and at some points it just felt like trauma porn.
Another thing that didn't sit right with me was the author's depiction of victims of domestic violence, assault, and rape. It seems that she paints these individuals in negative light, casting them as manipulative and not to be trusted. I got the feeling that Hillier felt that she was being dark and edgy in these portrayals, but ultimately just created stereotypical, surface-like characters that fail to develop.
As far as diversity goes, sure, the characters were diverse, but very little is done with their diversity other than point it out. The main character is mixed race, but other than telling us that, there is very little influence on the plot. With the exception of the jail portion, there is no talk that I can remember about how race could have influenced the events of the book.
Overall
Like I said, I didn't dislike this book, but I wouldn't put it on the top of my list either. I personally wouldn't want to read it again because of the graphic sexual assaults of minors and adults portrayed and how those individuals are treated in the writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Child abuse, Murder, Rape, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Child death and Child abuse
Minor: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, Drug abuse, and Infertility
silver_lining125's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Infertility, Gun violence, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, and Drug use
sarahfrank1in's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Murder, Rape, Gore, Child death, and Incest
booksbytheglass's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
WOW! this one was such a wild ride! I feel like I’m coming off an acid trip (not that I would actually know what this feels like 🤪)
I had no idea what to expect from this one, except for the fact that I absolutely loved THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK, and this one seems to be everyone’s favorite! and boy, was everyone right!!!!!
this book takes place in five different parts - each with its own set of POVs, flashbacks and time periods. but the transition between them was so easy to follow, and it left me totally begging for me! ✨ just one more chapter ✨ was so real in this story
MC geo has a LOT of trauma in her childhood, and if she just went to therapy after dating calvin harris, this book just wouldn’t exist 🤪 but here we are - a book full of morally grey characters!! and I had no idea who to root for and who was the true killer, until the very last chapter …
about halfway through, I had an idea of the major plot twist, but I am so pleased to report that I was so wrong! I absolutely loved being shocked by the final conclusion of this one, and while I felt it concluded all too quickly and neatly, I was still reeling from the twist so I can’t complain too much ✌🏼
hillier’s writing is so addictive, per usual, and I never wanted to put this one down! it will physically stick to your hands until you reach the last page
if you were a fan of hillier’s other books as well as psychological thrillers - definitely give this one a go!!!! 🙌🏼
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
I had no idea what to expect from this one, except for the fact that I absolutely loved THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK, and this one seems to be everyone’s favorite! and boy, was everyone right!!!!!
this book takes place in five different parts - each with its own set of POVs, flashbacks and time periods. but the transition between them was so easy to follow, and it left me totally begging for me! ✨ just one more chapter ✨ was so real in this story
MC geo has a LOT of trauma in her childhood, and if she just went to therapy after dating calvin harris, this book just wouldn’t exist 🤪 but here we are - a book full of morally grey characters!! and I had no idea who to root for and who was the true killer, until the very last chapter …
about halfway through, I had an idea of the major plot twist, but I am so pleased to report that I was so wrong! I absolutely loved being shocked by the final conclusion of this one, and while I felt it concluded all too quickly and neatly, I was still reeling from the twist so I can’t complain too much ✌🏼
hillier’s writing is so addictive, per usual, and I never wanted to put this one down! it will physically stick to your hands until you reach the last page
if you were a fan of hillier’s other books as well as psychological thrillers - definitely give this one a go!!!! 🙌🏼
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent
laziceva_kala's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Murder, and Rape
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Death, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Minor: Incest
maryrhg's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
TW: rape (happens multiple times through out the story basically the big hitter of the entire book)
Maybe I’m the weird one but I seriously have no idea why people rate this book so highly. There is so many rape scenes in this book most of which seem to be there just to make the reader uncomfortable and don’t really ad anything to the story? (If you know, you know I’m talking about the last one). The ending is rushed, the romance is rushed and unbelievable. You could remove kai from the story and it would have basically been exactly the same. I didn’t find it thrilling or suspenseful at all just icky to read. If you’re looking for something to disturb you this might work for you, but for me this was definitely not it.
Maybe I’m the weird one but I seriously have no idea why people rate this book so highly. There is so many rape scenes in this book most of which seem to be there just to make the reader uncomfortable and don’t really ad anything to the story? (If you know, you know I’m talking about the last one). The ending is rushed, the romance is rushed and unbelievable. You could remove kai from the story and it would have basically been exactly the same. I didn’t find it thrilling or suspenseful at all just icky to read. If you’re looking for something to disturb you this might work for you, but for me this was definitely not it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Cancer, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Vomit, and Body shaming
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I think this was a great thriller, there's really no doubt about that. Jennifer Hillier is a great storyteller with a gripping writing style and throughout this book she uses a dual timeline in a really effective and creative way. I thought the story in general was original and horrifying and I enjoyed the use of symbolism throughout. I also liked the twist, even though I did guess it, because I think that me being able to figure out a twist means that the groundwork in the thriller has been laid properly. I find that often when twists come out of left field, they are the twists that don't make sense. This one definitely did.
WARNING: HELLA SPOILERS AHEAD
I did have issues with this one though, which what holds me back from giving it a perfect rating. I don't know if this is something that runs through all of JH's work, but there was so much fatphobia. Now, if the characters were just fatphobic, that would be one thing. Characters aren't perfect and they shouldn't be. Things like Angela saying "your thighs are getting fat" did not bother me because that felt like something that character would say - she's a teenage girl in the year 2000 when diet culture is thriving, of course she would say that. What I had a problem with was when characters in the narrative were endlessly described as these fat, disgusting creatures. There is a character in the beginning of the book, Bernadette/Bernie who is in prison with Georgina (Geo) our protagonist, she is framed as an antagonist and does undeniably terrible things to Geo, including literally raping her, and instead of her horrible traits being focused on...the narrative chooses to focus on how fat the character is. It's....gross. It was really distracting for me.
This leads me into my next problem - queer characters or characters who might be queer are framed in such a negative light throughout this whole book. There is Bernie, who is predatory and a prison rapist (which is not to say that lgbt+ people can't be rapists, but this isn't the kind of representation I want to see, there are enough people calling this community rapists, thanks). There is also another character who goes to high school with Geo and Angela who is a football player. I can't remember his name, but anyway, he might be gay, and in order to keep himself from being suspected as gay, he says really disgusting stuff about having sex with Angela after she disappears, framing the one gay character who could possibly have a decent arc into a pretty terrible person...?
So, while I did really enjoy this, I believe that I have valid criticisms here and I really hope that these things aren't a common theme throughout JH's work because I really do like her writing. I'll give her another chance.
WARNING: HELLA SPOILERS AHEAD
I did have issues with this one though, which what holds me back from giving it a perfect rating. I don't know if this is something that runs through all of JH's work, but there was so much fatphobia. Now, if the characters were just fatphobic, that would be one thing. Characters aren't perfect and they shouldn't be. Things like Angela saying "your thighs are getting fat" did not bother me because that felt like something that character would say - she's a teenage girl in the year 2000 when diet culture is thriving, of course she would say that. What I had a problem with was when characters in the narrative were endlessly described as these fat, disgusting creatures. There is a character in the beginning of the book, Bernadette/Bernie who is in prison with Georgina (Geo) our protagonist, she is framed as an antagonist and does undeniably terrible things to Geo, including literally raping her, and instead of her horrible traits being focused on...the narrative chooses to focus on how fat the character is. It's....gross. It was really distracting for me.
This leads me into my next problem - queer characters or characters who might be queer are framed in such a negative light throughout this whole book. There is Bernie, who is predatory and a prison rapist (which is not to say that lgbt+ people can't be rapists, but this isn't the kind of representation I want to see, there are enough people calling this community rapists, thanks). There is also another character who goes to high school with Geo and Angela who is a football player. I can't remember his name, but anyway, he might be gay, and in order to keep himself from being suspected as gay, he says really disgusting stuff about having sex with Angela after she disappears, framing the one gay character who could possibly have a decent arc into a pretty terrible person...?
So, while I did really enjoy this, I believe that I have valid criticisms here and I really hope that these things aren't a common theme throughout JH's work because I really do like her writing. I'll give her another chance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, Fatphobia, Murder, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Blood, Alcohol, Misogyny, Sexual content, Cancer, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism and Classism
_terah_hansen_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Rape, Blood, Child death, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, and Addiction
julienicole1106's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cancer, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Abandonment, Cursing, Rape, and Sexual assault