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wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Minor: Stalking, Violence, Bullying, Death of parent, Murder, Xenophobia, Animal death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Body horror, Trafficking, Medical content, Abandonment, Classism, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Car accident, Deadnaming, Gore, Grief, and Hate crime
avisreadsandreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Murder, Car accident, and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Animal death, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence
jjjreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Colonisation, Grief, Racism, Animal death, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Death, Alcoholism, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Gore, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Minor: Medical trauma, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Gun violence
bookwormbi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Animal death, Car accident, Murder, Animal cruelty, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent and Acephobia/Arophobia
pastelkerstin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Gore, Body horror, Genocide, Medical trauma, Murder, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, and Racial slurs
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy
Police corruptionemily_mh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, Colonisation, and Animal death
Moderate: Violence, Car accident, Racism, Grief, and Body horror
Minor: War, Self harm, Cursing, Confinement, Excrement, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Death of parent, Gore, Mental illness, Cannibalism, Gun violence, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Medical content, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Kidnapping
Major content warnings for death of a pet and loss of a loved one. Minor content warnings for drowning, climate change/global warming, drought, insects, mass murder, and divorce.peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Grief and Violence
Moderate: Gore, Death of parent, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
Minor: Death, Kidnapping, Confinement, Genocide, Animal death, and Colonisation
kalehouse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Genocide, Colonisation, Death of parent, Death, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder, Medical content, Torture, Confinement, and Violence
Minor: Religious bigotry
morganperks'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: Death, Grief, Car accident, Torture, Gaslighting, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, and Child death
Moderate: Colonisation, Medical content, Addiction, Miscarriage, Animal death, Racism, Violence, Genocide, Medical trauma, Stalking, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Gore, and Body horror
Minor: Kidnapping, Confinement, Cancer, and Gun violence
plumpaperbacks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Little Badger’s take on paranormal creatures in the modern world was interesting and unique. I would’ve liked a bit more focus on that, but regardless, the blend of urban fantasy and mystery is something I think she handled well. Ghosts and vampires and fairy transport rings certainly spice up this whodunnit, as does the fact that the victim is able to tell Ellie who murdered him. Thus, this is a story of proving one man guilty rather than determining who is guilty. I was frequently surprised by the secrets Ellie and Jay unveiled.
Lastly, I liked that Ellie was queer. She’s definitely asexual and possibly aromantic as well, which means there’s no romance in this book, only jokes about how she’s totally not interested. It was nice to see her and Jay working together as friends and nothing more, with no unrequited crushes or hormones bogging down their relationship or kissing at inappropriate times. This is also, if I remember correctly, the first book I’ve read with an asexual protagonist that wasn’t strictly contemporary.
There are only two reasons I didn’t rate this five stars. One, like I said a bit earlier, I would’ve liked to see a bit more world-building, as it felt at times like Little Badger had a brilliant idea that was only partially explained on page and we were supposed to understand the rest. I did not. Two, while the intrigue was undoubtedly present and the mystery excellent, I thought the final scene with Allerton was anticlimactic, and I’m still not entirely sure what happened.
Despite that, Elatsoe is a great book, one of the most unique mysteries I’ve read, and a very impressive debut. I recommend it, and will definitely pick up more from this author in the future.
Representation
- Lipan Apache asexual protagonist
- Lipan Apache side characters
- side characters of color
Graphic: Death, Murder, Grief, Car accident, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Animal death, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Genocide, Medical trauma, and Medical content
Minor: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Gun violence