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mysterymom40's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Bullying, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Classism, Car accident, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Confinement, and Drug abuse
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Wow, this book was fucked up! We are given two rotating perspectives (third person POV of Hannah - flashbacks & present-day first-person POV of Dawn Foster). Hannah endured bullying because of her weight when she tried out for the cheerleading squad by Ella, Naomi, and Lucy - a popular girls' clique reminiscent of Mean Girls. Dawn transfers schools in her senior year of high school, and ends up living with her Aunt Maddy, then running into Ella, Naomi, and Lucy too. She makes a new friend Raquel, who is autistic and also bullied by the three popular girls.
The day after a party at Ella's house, Ella is found dead by her boyfriend, and then Dawn is immediately a suspect as the "new girl". Dawn and Raquel begin their own investigation to see who had a motive to kill Ella, and the friend group's secrets begin to unravel.
I feel uncomfortable that this, like many other psychological thrillers, posit mental illness as this evil, uncontrollable, villainous part of you? Was I a bit surprised at the twists? Sure, absolutely, and I recognize it made for an enticing story. I just wonder if the mental health representation (beyond the autistic rep) could have been navigated a bit differently.
Overall, I think Cindy RX He knows how to write a compelling, engaging story, and I will read more of Cindy's work in the future. I read this in one sitting, so it definitely kept me at the edge of my seat and I was absolutely entertained, but I still am a bit exhausted by this trope of "the bad guy was mentally ill!" that is often used in this genre.
Graphic: Bullying, Murder, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Ableism, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Infidelity, Alcohol, Medical trauma, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Adult/minor relationship
yalibrarianjen's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Bullying, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, and Death