Scan barcode
andyandnormski's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Death, Gore, Death of parent, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Child death
Minor: Violence
sshpurple1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Blood
Moderate: Gore, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Violence, Murder, and Death
Minor: Car accident
sshpurple1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gore, Blood, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
honeybeewitched87'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Pregnancy, Grief, Medical content, Blood, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Alcohol, Death of parent, Violence, and Car accident
magellen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
If you think you've guessed the situation in the early chapters, after a couple mentions of Pumpkin, welp. You're right. It is as straightforward as it seems and never builds tension so much as trips over attempts. It isn't funny either, despite many attempts. It feels like a half assed attempt frankly, cause as awful as SBCGKV w/e was, it was slightly more creative.
That said
I was gonna give it 3.5 originally but no. I thought I was half way at 33%, and almost done when there was another 4+ hours of audio book.
It is SLOW and without substance, try literally anything else in his body of work and you'll be at least slightly less disappointed.
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Death
alexisgarcia'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
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Murder, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Cursing, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Violence
snazzy10101'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
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
maggieoc_x'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Grief, Blood, Car accident, Gore, and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder, Gaslighting, Medical content, Cursing, Stalking, and Self harm
Minor: Pregnancy and Alcohol
aryelee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The complex, troubled relationship between the siblings, the family's need to bury their darkest secrets and never speak of it again, the consequences of both these things! And how they have to band together to survive the haunting and go great lengths to help each other... I'm obsessed. I love stories centered on complicated families and this hit! This really hit!
I loved the use of puppets and puppetry, how the puppet is its own living thing possessing the puppeteer when in use. I loved the dolls and how their childhoods were so relevant even decades later. I loved every interaction between the siblings and how it gradually changed into something better so that they could both get out alive.
I would give this five stars, but the plot was predictable. Though enjoyable to read, it wasn't as mysterious as I would have wanted it, but it's still very good. Though I called the plot twist in the first section of the book, even knowing what it is didn't stop my enjoyment of the rest of the novel, but it did dampen the scene when that information is revealed.
The themes of family, siblings, and mothers and daughters are so good. History constantly repeating itself, the need to pry into the secrets held by the family (and by themselves) and the struggle to be honest and vulnerable... Truly an incredible novel. I do love horror with themes like these.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent and Child death
Minor: Alcoholism and Gaslighting
ehamlett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Car accident