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cheye13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit
Minor: Toxic friendship, Suicide, Rape, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
As a benchmark, there is a mild secondhand description of a past rape in the first chapter, and the description never really gets more graphic than that.sky_'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
4.25
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Stalking
Minor: Biphobia
sinnabeanz'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
4.25
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Stalking, Sexual content, and Rape
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Torture, Sexism, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gore and Gaslighting
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The narrators alternate between an English professor getting ready for her yearly kill and a freshman who plans revenge after her friend is assaulted. Carly and Scarlett feel distinct at the start of the book and their chapters are very easy to tell apart. Early on I liked Carly better but by the end I was rooting for Scarlett and I'm very happy with how things turned out. If you liked (or wanted to like) DEXTER but wished it were sapphic, check this out.
There's enough detail to make it very clear what the various perpetrators/murder victims did that got them on Scarlett's radar or drew Carly's ire, but without glorifying sexual violence or giving graphic details of abuse. Refer to the CWs for more information.
Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Rape
stellabyproxy's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
In this thriller, English professor meets serial killer in a gripping story that brings female serial killers to the forefront. This book is not only a show of pure literary excellence from Layne Fargo but a truly twisted and primal take on feminism (and beautiful queer and bisexual representation). The use of dual-narration gives the reader great insight, and with a morally grey protagonist Fargo executes a storyline of vengeance vs victimhood with twists and turns that leave the reader constantly guessing.
Do you root for the killer or their victims? Who is the true underdog? Were the crimes worthy of the punishment? Is vigilante justice the answer? And is my love for the protagonist worthy of my own psychological evaluation?
The only way to find out is to keep turning the page and that is certainly not a problem, because Layne Fargo will leave you wanting to know more.
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, and Misogyny
Minor: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
unphilosophize'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
4.0
Well balanced plot
Compelling narration.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Suicide, and Vomit
Minor: Car accident, Child abuse, and Religious bigotry
princessgonchar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book was so much fun! I liked the characters, I thought their stories were all compelling on their own, I appreciated the commentary on sexual assault, some of the twists had me gasping - this was literally all I could ask for in a Thriller!
It's not a 5 star because I did have a few problems.
The pacing was a little weird for starters. The first 40% of the book is a lot of setup, and it feels really random and out of place until reveals start happening. Then from 60% to 85%, it felt like we were just waiting for something bad to happen and like things weren't really going on.
Also, there were a couple of character switch moments towards the end that didn't really surprise me and that I think could have been hidden a little more. And I wanted a little more justification for some of Carly's actions.
It was originally going to be a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 for those reasons, but the ending is just so satisfying that I couldn't not give it a straight 4 stars.
A great read, and I'm intrigued to see the next thing Layne Fargo puts out (which is as much as a surprise to me as it is to you).
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder
kloft1993's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Murder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Stalking
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence