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michelle_my_belle's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Torture, Animal cruelty, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Ableism, Death, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Trafficking, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Cancer
cfarron'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Cancer, and Addiction
Minor: Trafficking, Death of parent, and Vomit
mlau17's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty
mixpix's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Trafficking, Racism, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape
buer's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I want to like this book - it’s fast-paced, easy to read, and has an overarching theme of a young woman realizing that she is a better, stronger, and more resilient person than she could have ever imagined. Taylor Adams has a simple, visceral writing style that I like and introduces several interesting twists.
However. Much like one of the characters in this book, Adams feels like the kind of person who knows how to convincingly wear a mask. The mask he has chosen is that he’s the kind of person who believes that women are strong and capable, but considering that he sexualizes every female character in his book with varying degrees of brutality, I’m not convinced.
I also find it difficult to enjoy a book in which the author goes out of his way to introduce prejudice into the story. Taylor names an imaginary geographical landmark with a slur. He has a character tell multiple misogynistic jokes and a racist one that involves yet another slur. He uses the r-word and repeatedly references a probably homophobic piece of graffiti that he invented for the bathroom wall at the rest stop.
Maybe I’m wrong about Taylor, but I can’t recommend this book in good conscience. There are too many moments that got under my skin for reasons that weren’t serving the plot or adding depth to characters.
There are plenty other books that accomplish what this book does without also reeking of ick. Read those instead.
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Torture, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Animal death, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Addiction, Bullying, Ableism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Fire/Fire injury
aniwillow's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual violence, Blood, Gun violence, Confinement, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Terminal illness, Excrement, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Grief, and Animal cruelty
rawrsoobin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racism, Trafficking, Gaslighting, and Ableism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Vomit, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Cancer, and Alcoholism
svmreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Vomit, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
xlipkins'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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Confinement, and Torture
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Ableism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, and Child abuse
Minor: Trafficking, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Rape
sosocrafty's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Blood, Child abuse, Violence, Confinement, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Gore, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit, Terminal illness, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Rape, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, and Animal death