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leweylibrary's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, and Colonisation
Minor: Pedophilia, Medical content, and Sexual harassment
eicart_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Racism, Grief, Car accident, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
hayleemarie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Colonisation
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
phantasmaboo's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
I wanted to like this book so badly, and I did like most of it, but it really fell apart in the final 25% or so. Unlike the book description, the book is largely character-driven, exploring Rita's past and how she came to be the person is today. That being said, I had a hard time reconciling the Rita in the present with the Rita in the past. They seemed like two very different people rather than a person who grew into the other. The portions of the book written in the past were so touching and deep while the present portions seemed surface-level, dry, and patchy. Overall, the writing was just uneven.
Finally, the plot wasn't all that surprising to me, but the way the ending was written was like the author simply wanted the book to end. The characters became nonsensical farces of themselves and it makes their behavior very unbelievable. For example,
Overall, I give it 3 stars. I would definitely read more by this author again, but I hope that in the future their writing becomes more even.
Graphic: Gore, Xenophobia, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction and Colonisation
jourdanicus'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? It's complicated
4.5
The story was propulsive, with believable (if not overly deep) characters and a fairly tight plot. I enjoyed the back and forth timeline. Aspects of Navajo beliefs, culture, and family history/life were woven in to a crime drama which didn't rely too heavily on trope.
I'd recommend to anyone who has a strong stomach for gore, appreciates a "gritty," dry female protagonist, and/or whose guilty pleasure is police procedurals but agrees with ACAB.
Edit/note: read ebook + listened to audiobook
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation
Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Alcohol
softanimal's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
sjanke2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
maregred'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
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism and Grief
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail