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kelcybeckstrom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Misogyny, Stalking, Violence, Murder, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
effy's review against another edition
3.5
What I didn't enjoy about this book was the third act when the characters were in London. This portion was just the wrong length; it either needed to be shorter and just be an extended epilogue or it needed to be more fleshed-out and show us
Despite the weak ending, I mostly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to continuing the series.
Favourite quote:
She felt like heaven to my hell, the closest I'd ever get to salvation, and yet I still wanted to drag her into the depths of Hades with me.
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Infidelity
abception's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
My biggest issue with this book, which took any and all potential enjoyment out of it for me, is that Alex is a terrible person, in a very abusive, disrespectful, aggressive way, and that over the course of the book he did nothing to redeem himself - instead, he got worse, and the book actually culminates
First of all, very early on in the book, Alex tells Ava (on the authority of being asked by her brother to 'look out for her'): 1. what she can and cannot wear (cannot: anything he deems too revealing (except for the scenes requiring her to be wearing something sexy for him)), 2. who she can and cannot be around (can: women, can't: men), and 3. what she can and cannot do (can: self-defence classes chosen by him, can't: boudoir photography, going anywhere alone). As well as constantly belittling her feelings or outlook on things as childish or optimistic and therefore silly.
Secondly, he is extremely aggressive in a multitude of ways, e.g.:
• Generally, he approaches every single problem with threats of financial ruin or violence, if not outright reacting with violence.
A few other problems with Alex, specifically, are:
• He's a CEO (derogatory) - he literally treats people like dirt, he financially ruins people with no empathy at all, he looks down on all of his employees and is overall an entitled prick.
On the other hand, I had no problems with Ava whatsoever - with the exception of wishing her experiences of mental illness (i.e., insomnia, panic attacks, flashbacks, repressed memories) was more fleshed out and less 1-dimensional. She was a really sweet and loveable character, and I would have definitely enjoyed a novel with her characterisation in a less disturbing romantic situation.
Outside of Alex's problematic characterisation, I also disliked Huang's:
1. Unrealistic depiction of flashbacks
2. Constant references to sex (this is just a personal preference)
4. 1-dimensional/cartoonishly evil villains
5. How overpowered Alex is
The writing of the main characters' trauma (both Alex and Ava) really did not read as realistic/well-fleshed-out to me - primarily, due to the depictions of flashbacks for both characters. Very early on in the book, both Ava and Alex experience flashbacks in the middle of completely mundane/untriggering conversations. For example, Alex has a flashback
Overall, I would not recommend this novel to anyone due to the disturbing romanticisation of criminal harassment and abusive/controlling behaviour - and, I'm not happy that I bought the rest of the series before reading (though I'm crossing my fingers that Huang writes at least one romantic male lead that isn't just plain abusive).
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Torture, Child death, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
Minor: Infidelity, Blood, and Drug abuse
gingerbiscuit'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? Yes
2.0
It's fast paced and well written so it was a quick and entertaining read but both Alex and Ava made me want to puke. Their love story doesn't have as much love as it does possessiveness and abuse. By the end of it, I was rooting against Alex. At times the plot twists were a little too twisted but at least the book lived up to its name.
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Stalking
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Murder, Abandonment, Body horror, Misogyny, Bullying, Death of parent, Gun violence, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, and Violence
novelisa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, and Murder
Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Kidnapping
juana_3'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
Graphic: Death of parent and Misogyny
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
solacelight'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? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Cursing, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Suicide
ebba456's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Stalking, Misogyny, Cursing, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
culzean'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
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Torture