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bethanylaurel's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Vomit, and Body horror
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Animal death, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
annajoyreed93's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a library book I chose based on the title and absolutely stunning cover. Though the atmosphere was thick and it was full of dreamlike prose, there was a lot of meandering in the first three fourths of the book only for the final fourth to feel rushed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
blacksphinx's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The more I think about it, the less I wind up liking this book. This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023 and I'm really sad about it.
"Like" is not something I would use to describe any aspect of this book, "interesting" is. It's interesting how unlikeable most of the PoV characters are. One of the MCs literally describes herself as a bitch and revels in it. The relationship between the sisters was interesting. They love and hate each other in equal measure. Both of them are insecure over their position in the family, and each sister thinks the other one is their father's favorite and resents her for it. It's interesting, but I didn't find it enjoyable or entertaining.
What largely tanked the book for me is when a main character creates and starts executing a plan... and later, when the character fully reveals what the plan is to another character and what they need to happen, absolutely nothing they did in the setup to the plan was necessary. It also bore no relevance to the action and resolution of the plotline. It feels like a bunch of things happened just to give information to the audience, and not something the characters needed to do to further their goals. I actually might come back later and lower the star rating even more. [EDIT: I did.]
"Like" is not something I would use to describe any aspect of this book, "interesting" is. It's interesting how unlikeable most of the PoV characters are. One of the MCs literally describes herself as a bitch and revels in it. The relationship between the sisters was interesting. They love and hate each other in equal measure. Both of them are insecure over their position in the family, and each sister thinks the other one is their father's favorite and resents her for it. It's interesting, but I didn't find it enjoyable or entertaining.
What largely tanked the book for me is when a main character creates and starts executing a plan... and later, when the character fully reveals what the plan is to another character and what they need to happen, absolutely nothing they did in the setup to the plan was necessary. It also bore no relevance to the action and resolution of the plotline. It feels like a bunch of things happened just to give information to the audience, and not something the characters needed to do to further their goals. I actually might come back later and lower the star rating even more. [EDIT: I did.]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Gore, Violence, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Abandonment, Infidelity, Sexism, Terminal illness, Sexual content, and Abortion
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