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leweylibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
It only gets points for the kind of fun setting and indigenous rep, sorry 🤷‍♀️ otherwise I kinda hated it lol.
I did not enjoy reading it, I had to force myself to finish it for a book club, and I had sooo many issues with it that completely took me out of the story. Like her awful friends wtf??? They were horrible and I really hope they weren't inspired by the author's real friends lol. What kind of friends automatically ask if you've murdered someone or destroyed your own apartment?? I wanted to like the supernatural element, and it was one of the few things keeping me interested, but there could've been so much more done with it. I felt like a lot of the conversations, situations, and relationships just made no sense. I truly don't know how this was long listed for the National Book Prize. Like how.
I did not enjoy reading it, I had to force myself to finish it for a book club, and I had sooo many issues with it that completely took me out of the story. Like her awful friends wtf??? They were horrible and I really hope they weren't inspired by the author's real friends lol. What kind of friends automatically ask if you've murdered someone or destroyed your own apartment?? I wanted to like the supernatural element, and it was one of the few things keeping me interested, but there could've been so much more done with it. I felt like a lot of the conversations, situations, and relationships just made no sense. I truly don't know how this was long listed for the National Book Prize. Like how.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Gore, Gaslighting, Death, Grief, Blood, Murder, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Colonisation, and Racism
Minor: Pedophilia, Medical content, and Sexual harassment
cjrayl's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
A mystery, fantasy/ghost driven, story with a strong background of native americans.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Deadnaming, Drug use, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia
vexatiousbird's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I wasn’t sure about this after the first chapter with its extremely detailed gore, but I’m glad I continued. We get the murder plot interwoven with chapters of Rita’s life growing up, her history with photography, ghosts, and death. I loved her heartfelt memories of her grandmother and her Navajo culture. The main plot isn’t particularly unique or gripping, but it all comes together into a great story.
My main complaint was the ending felt kind of rushed and abrupt.
My main complaint was the ending felt kind of rushed and abrupt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gore, and Child death
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
tafeeeeee's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.0
It was oddly beautiful despite the subject material. I wish we learned more about what happened to Rita after all she went through. It felt like the story was building up to this moment and then it was over and I didn't feel fulfilled.
I did love the Indigenous representation.
I did love the Indigenous representation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, Blood, Gore, and Murder
zias's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
I enjoyed reading this book. I felt the pacing was enough to keep me interested and I loved reading about the cultural inclusion with the main character being a Navajo woman.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Gore, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Gun violence and Suicide
mynameisrebecca's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Racism, Gore, Murder, Child death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Xenophobia
lizzyfc's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, and Child death
pitbulls_and_prose's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This definitely was a lot more “scary” than I imagined it would be, even though seeing ghosts is a major plot point. Some of the depictions were particularly gory and gruesome. This book could have benefited from some TW at the front…
I really loved the structure of this book as it weaved between past and present. How her childhood informed her adulthood. The mystery was pretty predictable though and that was a little disappointing. I also wished we got to know more about the main character. A lot of who she was as a child, but not who she was as an adult.
Nonetheless, this was a solid read, if not anything special. Could totally see this as a pretty decent thriller/horror movie. I would read more from this author in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, and Child death
eicart_reads's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Car accident, Racism, Colonisation, and Grief
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Drug use, Animal death, Terminal illness, and Bullying
chanel_elise's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This story had potential, a Navajo woman that can see ghosts and her occupation is a crime scene photographer, sign me up! Unfortunately, this fell short. The story could have benefited from more editing, as there was a lot of repetition. Also I can admire a person interest in things that I have little to no knowledge about, but this story spends so much time talking about cameras and photography that it began to make me skim read those parts. Too many characters that did not add value to the story or were quickly mentioned. As for the ghost seeing part, I thought that would have taken the bulk of the story but it did not.
The book goes from present to past events, alternating chapters of her current job/life to chapters about her upbringing and past. From reading the blurb I thought this book was going to be about a crime scene photographer that solved murders through getting clues from the victims ghost, and then Rita having to find creative ways of exposing the evidence without her explicitly saying “well the ghost told me.” This book is about one case and Rita’s struggle to live in a world that does not take her “gift” seriously. There are some disturbing details when Rita describes crime scenes and then goes on in live as if nothing happened. The tone was just off.
The book goes from present to past events, alternating chapters of her current job/life to chapters about her upbringing and past. From reading the blurb I thought this book was going to be about a crime scene photographer that solved murders through getting clues from the victims ghost, and then Rita having to find creative ways of exposing the evidence without her explicitly saying “well the ghost told me.” This book is about one case and Rita’s struggle to live in a world that does not take her “gift” seriously. There are some disturbing details when Rita describes crime scenes and then goes on in live as if nothing happened. The tone was just off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, and Child death