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strawberrymivvy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Lyla is an educated woman working in viral research, her partner a wannabe actor who takes her for granted. He persuades her to join him on a new reality TV show where he's convinced he'll get his big break. As they arrive on an island in the middle of nowhere they find a similar story with the other couples - not everyone is excited to be there or an obvious reality TV star. Almost immediately tensions heat up, then a huge storm leaves them cut off from the rest of the world and having to fend for themselves.
As the body count rises, can they work out what is happening and who can be trusted?
This was a real page turner and until about 50 pages from the end I wasn't sure which way it was going to go, but then it fell a little flat at the end and didn't deliver any real surprise. None of the characters were particularly loveable, even Lyla as she seemed to capitulate to Nico so quickly - in reality I can't see her dropping everything to go on a reality TV show.
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Death
meridith_bex's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Medical content, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Suicide
juanat77's review
- 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
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicide, Vomit, Bullying, Gore, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Eating disorder, and Violence
timetotalkbeauty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, and Violence
thefarmwifereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse
seacowe's review
- 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? No
4.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, Suicide, and Murder
cayleybp's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse
Minor: Suicide
avidreaderandgeekgirl'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
3.75
Review:
As to the ending, I knew something was hinky with the show they were supposed to be on, but not what it was exactly and I loved that final twist.
The book was a bit long though, it seemed to drag in parts which is why it took me so long (for me) to read, there were days I didn't press play to listen because it was hard to get through. Though some of that may have been the subject matter, lots of murder, domestic abuse, and gaslighting, plus medical-type content i.e., dehydration and starvation.
Overall a good book even if it was tough for me to read, it got into many topics that need to be discussed more.
Narrator Rating: 3.5 stars
I always have mixed feelings about this narrator. She does a good job with tonal shifts and emotions, but sometimes her voice grates on me.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Grief, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Blood, Gore, Sexism, Suicide, and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
m1923's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
mollyb13'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
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Blood, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Death