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kiwichill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Stalking, Gore, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Excrement, Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Addiction, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gaslighting, Classism, and Confinement
Moderate: Medical content, Blood, Alcohol, and Drug use
Very graphic tale from the POV of a stalker obsessed with a girl after a brief encounter. I watched the series so I knew how this obsession takes over and leads to violence. There is nothing redeeming about the character Joe. I wouldn't say I enjoyed the book, more like disturbed by its naturetthatguyty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Gaslighting, Addiction, Murder, and Death
te_ss_i's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Toxic friendship, Genocide, Infidelity, Torture, Alcohol, Drug use, Addiction, Stalking, Car accident, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Abortion, Murder, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Violence
chuckielittle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body shaming, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Stalking, and Torture
Moderate: Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcoholism, Police brutality, Mental illness, Infidelity, Self harm, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Gaslighting
taylorjai's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Murder, Stalking, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Gaslighting, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Infidelity and Addiction
marisabenn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is by far the creepiest book I have ever read. Being inside of Joe's head is amazing and disturbing. You get to experience how screwed up he is, but from his perspective it's everyone else that's messed up.
Beck was just awful. I hated her and her friends so much. I never really felt sad when they died, but I was never rooting for them to be killed. Joe is definitely the bad guy here, no gray areas at all.
I probably won't watch the show, and I don't think I'll continue with the series either. This was a good standalone and I like the way it ended.
Graphic: Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Mental illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, and Drug use
_p0ssum_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Death, Torture, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Gore, Addiction, and Stalking
eline1701'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? Yes
3.75
I finished season 4 part 1 and sort of wanted more (why?) and ended up reading this. It feels odd to say I enjoyed it but I did??? There's a certain humour in reading Joe's narration, the way he judges people, his hypocrisy and the way he justifies his actions. It's completely ridiculous. He's also horribly crass and sexist - moreso than in the show, which I thought was interesting. Beck also felt a lot meaner and less involved in the book, which I thought was cool. Why not? She's allowed to kind of suck. She still doesn't deserve any of this shit.
I really "liked" the way he addresses Beck for the entirety of the novel, it felt original. We never really get a grasp on her, with Joe's unreliable narration, but I thought that was used in a way that was interesting. He'd skip certain things completely because he didn't deem them worth mentioning (duh, of course he'd collected creepy stuff belonging to Beck) and they'd only come up later and they'd always be a bit of a slap in the face. So yeah, I had a... a good time?... reading this. Sort of like watching the show. Repulsive, but at least all parties agree on that? Let's see if I pick up book two...
Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Self harm, Sexism, Homophobia, and Body shaming
Minor: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Addiction, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Abandonment
newkgirl'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
5.0
And Joe is in love with Guinevere Beck, or rather the idea of her he’s created in his head while stalking her.
Joe is a completely unreliable narrator as he takes us through his world, giving everyone but Beck the least amount of thought and consideration. No one but her is as deep or emotionally mature as him. No one is as well read as him and her, no one matters but her.
When obstacles to their love pop up; a boyfriend here, a friend who wants her for herself there, and a therapist who becomes obsessed as well, Joe will do anything to “protect” Beck and keep them together. What’s a little murder in the name of love?
“You are a monster, deathly, solipsistic to the bone and you’re blasphemous because all you want is You.”
Caroline Kepnes’ ability to create a character such as Joe Goldberg is, to me, truly astounding and at the same time, quite unnerving. Caroline, are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Do you need help?
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Death, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Gaslighting, and Misogyny
mary_alexander's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping