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_charliesbooks_'s review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
As a huge fantasy and litfic reader this book was very out of my remit. And yet I couldn't put it down. It was weird and wonderful and I did not expect a SINGLE plot twist that happened. I loved the discussions on race and sexuality and I ADORED the book about books vibe. I'd definitely read this author again
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Drug use, Blood, Addiction, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Classism, Child abuse, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
jessie_eidson's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Antisemitism, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Gun violence
Minor: Vomit, Excrement, Addiction, Alcohol, Abandonment, Genocide, and Panic attacks/disorders
readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
1.0
The book is incredibly superficial and predictable with a central argument that’s pretty ludicrous towards the end it has An argument that authors only have one great work in them that’s just complete nonsense for actual well read authors to entertain given how many others such as James baldwin, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Isabela Allende and more have written so many great books. This and how it doesn’t actually challenge the idea that great art comes from tragedy and instead seems to agree with it is silly. The cast is diverse ethnic wise with a Jewish protagonist, British, Russian and Hungarian characters and entirely female cast except for very minor male characters but the Russian and southern woman are complete stereotypes. And as another reviews noted the only queer women comfortable with their sexuality are murderous psychopath that are obsessive that feels like a bad stereotype alongside the indecisive and anxious bi-curious rivals that are uncomfortable with their sexuality there entire book despite wrestling with that also being a clear theme
The main protagonist despite being thirty has a maturity of teenage girl and never seems to take almost maiming even if accidentally another author so she can’t write seriously but we’re expected to treat being ghosted by a friend as remotely a similar grievance especially as she imagines the woman as horrible friend any way but feels entitled to the woman never ending the friendship on terms different from the protagonist. It’s incredibly immature that we’re expected to both sides. Also the only black woman is constantly stereotyped and feels like she’s there to be the clan and collected characters and constantly associated with Africa, and slavery from lion necklace to someone who’s family is from Senegal saying her family came over the trans Atlantic slave trade when that’s African Americans. I genuinely think the majority of her on screen dialogue had the book discussing her in association with Africa or slavery more then anything else or having her awkwardly accuse the other white women reducing her to angry black woman that instead of critiquing racism in white liberal spaces felt the non black author feeling incredibly self conscious about her own black character and almost entirely white cast.
Also I’ve enjoyed books within books before but while the one here is related to the events in the book it reads like bad historical fiction.
The main protagonist despite being thirty has a maturity of teenage girl and never seems to take almost maiming even if accidentally another author so she can’t write seriously but we’re expected to treat being ghosted by a friend as remotely a similar grievance especially as she imagines the woman as horrible friend any way but feels entitled to the woman never ending the friendship on terms different from the protagonist. It’s incredibly immature that we’re expected to both sides. Also the only black woman is constantly stereotyped and feels like she’s there to be the clan and collected characters and constantly associated with Africa, and slavery from lion necklace to someone who’s family is from Senegal saying her family came over the trans Atlantic slave trade when that’s African Americans. I genuinely think the majority of her on screen dialogue had the book discussing her in association with Africa or slavery more then anything else or having her awkwardly accuse the other white women reducing her to angry black woman that instead of critiquing racism in white liberal spaces felt the non black author feeling incredibly self conscious about her own black character and almost entirely white cast.
Also I’ve enjoyed books within books before but while the one here is related to the events in the book it reads like bad historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Misogyny, Blood, Vomit, Racism, Genocide, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Death, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Drug use, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Addiction, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Child death, and Child abuse
sophiesometimesreads's review against another edition
dark
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
4.5
I devoured this book, and really enjoyed my experience reading it.
I really enjoyed how, in the first part of the book, I was constantly questioning whether the book was supernatural or not, and whether these things were going to be real or a figment of the character's imagination. It really left the story wide open for a long time and made it hard for me to figure out what was going to happen.
I think the pacing of this book was great, there was always something happening and the information we needed was sprinkled through the story such that I was able to piece SOME of it together eventually but I never quite saw the whole reveal. Even when we did get the information I'd guessed revealed, it was more of an "AHA I WAS RIGHT!" moment instead of a "oh yeah that was obvious" moment as the signs were subtle but there, which I really liked about it. All the reveals made sense when looking back at the information given.
Though this seems like a contentious point, I liked that the big reveal of why everything was happening came relatively early on in the book compared to other thrillers, it really allowed for the resolution to be fleshed out. After this point, things got absolutely chaotic and ridiculous but, in my opinion, it was just enough on the realistic side of ridiculous that it was enjoyable and not cringey. From someone who hasn't read horror, it did seem like the book pushed more into the horror realm from a mystery thriller in the second half too.
Avoiding spoilers, I think the ending could've packed a bit more punch and I was hoping something specific would happen based on something said by a character but it didn't end up happening. But in the big scheme of the book, this was only a small detail so didn't take away much from my overall enjoyment.
I liked the role the characters played in this novel and Kiera is my queen. I didn't particularly connect emotionally to all characters but they all played the role they needed to in the story to make me engrossed.
Overall, I'm not sure why this book is rated so low because I had a wonderful time with it and absolutely devoured the book in just over two days. I would recommend this to people who enjoy slightly ridiculous but intense thrillers.
I really enjoyed how, in the first part of the book, I was constantly questioning whether the book was supernatural or not, and whether these things were going to be real or a figment of the character's imagination. It really left the story wide open for a long time and made it hard for me to figure out what was going to happen.
I think the pacing of this book was great, there was always something happening and the information we needed was sprinkled through the story such that I was able to piece SOME of it together eventually but I never quite saw the whole reveal. Even when we did get the information I'd guessed revealed, it was more of an "AHA I WAS RIGHT!" moment instead of a "oh yeah that was obvious" moment as the signs were subtle but there, which I really liked about it. All the reveals made sense when looking back at the information given.
Though this seems like a contentious point, I liked that the big reveal of why everything was happening came relatively early on in the book compared to other thrillers, it really allowed for the resolution to be fleshed out. After this point, things got absolutely chaotic and ridiculous but, in my opinion, it was just enough on the realistic side of ridiculous that it was enjoyable and not cringey. From someone who hasn't read horror, it did seem like the book pushed more into the horror realm from a mystery thriller in the second half too.
Avoiding spoilers, I think the ending could've packed a bit more punch and I was hoping something specific would happen based on something said by a character but it didn't end up happening. But in the big scheme of the book, this was only a small detail so didn't take away much from my overall enjoyment.
I liked the role the characters played in this novel and Kiera is my queen. I didn't particularly connect emotionally to all characters but they all played the role they needed to in the story to make me engrossed.
Overall, I'm not sure why this book is rated so low because I had a wonderful time with it and absolutely devoured the book in just over two days. I would recommend this to people who enjoy slightly ridiculous but intense thrillers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Blood, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Addiction
katiieecat's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Alcohol, Violence, Murder, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, and Slavery
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