Scan barcode
_alyssar_'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Body shaming, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Child death, Death, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking
kim_lommaert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Murder, War, Kidnapping, Fatphobia, Bullying, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and Animal cruelty
avaa1000's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Sexism, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Bullying
catherinedsharp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, and Toxic friendship
lct's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent and Homophobia
cozywithraven's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Gore, Genocide, Misogyny, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Slavery
ailsaod's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Classism
Minor: Child death
kaziaroo'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
3.5
It's a shame to see that children's stories still rely on fatphobia and making fun of "ugly" people for humour, and there was a lot of stereotyping of what "good" and "evil" people look like – although a lot of this is critiqued by the narrative, there were some blurred lines: for example, while we are shown that being mean to Dot about her fatness is bad, the author also mentions her size nearly every time she appears, and her size and appetite makes up most of her characterisation. Thankfully, there wasn't a hooked nose in sight, unlike in the film.
While the plot dragged a bit in places, I really enjoyed the characters in this book and loved the portrayal of a character's descent into madness and the protagonists' respective identity crises. It was a really fun, if dark, read.
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Fatphobia, Medical content, Body shaming, Bullying, Violence, War, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Mental illness
bookiesncookies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- All the Evergirls trying to plan their ballgowns ahead of time, plus contingency gowns
- Agatha accidentally eating a fairy upon arrival
Tricking their reflections to pass the bridge
The deep mystery of the reader mural, the proof of the balance of good/evil, the School Master's riddle, and so many other threads that start to be woven in book 2, and hopefully book 3 - Agatha reading more of her Good textbooks and falling in love with that world
Locking Dot out of the coven - Sophie trying to prettify her uniforms
Graphic: Body horror and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Murder and Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death and Death of parent
kllyholt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I’m assuming it’s more towards the latter, which is incredibly disappointing to see. The story itself is still rather entertaining and I’m interested to see where it goes so I will probably finish out the series, but I hope the way these tropes are addressed changes.
Graphic: Body shaming and Toxic friendship