Reviews

TLDR: I am a reader who needs more to be convinced.

The front cover copy is a lie. This was not well paced, the twist was predictable, and I did not find it addicting. It's very frustrating that a book can get published because it has a good premise and not because it's written well.

I almost did not finish, but the ending engaged me enough. There were too many loose ends, and I felt like at critical moments, where it should be obvious that we need to be SHOWN and not TOLD, I was let down as a reader; why weren't relationships shown on page? And why are we wasting space on the page for the damn mirror twin explanation? If half as much attention was given to, say, Sab or Violet, and not describing hair parts, the story would have been so much more fulfilling.

I also disagree with the alternating chapters. I would have rather had alternating parts or sections. Tell me a lot about the present, allow me as the reader to raise questions, show me the past, and give me just enough information to know more than Kat but less than Jude.

The only reason why this isn't a 2/5 or 1/5 is because the syntax was well crafted (even if I felt like some of the more descriptive, metaphor filled scenes were not deserved (the damn card scene??)). There was potential for a great novel and instead we got a bunch of half-hearted ideas and pretty sentences.

Also, Sab: if someone beats the shit out of you, maybe DON'T go back to them? Especially if your situation isn't a domestic abuse situation? If your one night stand starts throwing punches and running away, maybe don't chase them? What a sweet character who deserved more.

lor__aaaine's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

2.5

hollyk_1592's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

2.5

dietzan's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

elaeagnifolium's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Good writing and character creation but about 100 pages too long for continuous engagement and connection to story and character

Content Warnings

gellyreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

This was absolute "greater concept than execution" for me. I found the writing to be incredibly hard to follow, and the characters painfully uninteresting. Everything seems somewhat flat.

I love a cult, but what was the cult's intentions? How did they abuse them? I don't know because the writing is trying too hard to be surrealist when it comes off as emotionless, toneless, and boring.

kryd88's review against another edition

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dark

2.5

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