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meganpkin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
This put me in a reading slump and I realise now I definitely don't do well with timeling jumping. Though I've handled it well before, it slowed this story down so so much and it was hard to remember why I cared to continue but I did because it was a part of a reading challenge I gave myself. There was some beautiful writing in it, definitely mystery and magic/otherworldliness which I enjoyed. Even half way through the book There was a new mystery which would open and most weren't really resolved or satisfactorily resolved anyway. Personally I dislike when male writers attempt writing about abortion or pregnancy and it doesn't feel worth it, it can be done well as LaValle did in The Changeling but this didnt have the same justification and felt more of a male centered view that was supposed to explain the protagonist and it didn't feel worth the possible triggers would bring to a reader. I'm glad I finished it but juxtaposed to my experience with his other works so far, I didn't enjoy this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Mass/school shootings, Child death, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Drug use, Murder, and Mental illness
Minor: Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Transphobia, Medical trauma, Vomit, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
arcinzole's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Listened to the audiobook read by Sean Crisden. Voice like butter and great characterization. New favorite book. Dark, realistic fantasy with a touch of dark academia flavor.
"Doubt is a big machine..." is one of my new favorite quotes. The points this story makes about the importance of doubt and faith to human experience made my heart and my brain happy.
The narrative is frustrating in places because so much information is withheld as we jump back and forth in time, but that felt very authentic to the way people's minds actually work. It added to my experience as a reader as I shared the sense of time dilation that the characters go through as they are driven from horror to horror.
The Grey Lady is my favorite character so far of my 2021 reads.
"Doubt is a big machine..." is one of my new favorite quotes. The points this story makes about the importance of doubt and faith to human experience made my heart and my brain happy.
The narrative is frustrating in places because so much information is withheld as we jump back and forth in time, but that felt very authentic to the way people's minds actually work. It added to my experience as a reader as I shared the sense of time dilation that the characters go through as they are driven from horror to horror.
The Grey Lady is my favorite character so far of my 2021 reads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Medical trauma, and Torture
Moderate: Gore, Police brutality, and Racism
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