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chris_reads'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Minor: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
schnaucl'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? It's complicated
4.75
The characters were interesting and as were the ways the high school was both magical and utterly ordinary. Ivy's resentment at the wasted magic was understandable, as was the student's "waste" of magic because they're just kids and it's common for them, not the extraordinary thing it is for Ivy.
It was a very well built world. I'd like to spend more time there.
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Abortion, and Death of parent
oliverreeds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
just_one_more_paige'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder and Pregnancy
ireadinbed'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? Yes
4.0
I really loved the voice in this story. I felt like I could really step into Ivy's shoes. She felt hardened without being unlikable, without being somehow immune to the wonder around her. Her relationship with her sister was so layered and complex. I was really intrigued by the familiarity and strangeness between them.
And there were so many great viscerally descriptive scenes especially with the medical procedures. Truly tickled my fancy. And I loved the very ending.
It did feel like a first mystery novel though. I didn't feel like leads were developed quite enough.
Graphic: Cancer, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail
stacy837'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
3.25
Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
foreverinastory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rep: white female MC (I think Ivy is queer but I'm uncertain), BIPOC bisexual male love interest, several lesbian female side characters, pansexual female side character, BIPOC female side character.
CWs: Body horror, abortion, cancer, gore, blood, death, murder, medical trauma, medical content, grief, past death of parent, alcoholism, alcohol consumption, terminal illness, bullying, emotional abuse, violence, mentions of past pregnancy that was terminated, vomit, gaslighting, toxic friendship, injury/injury detail, sexual content. Moderate: eating disorder and mention of weight checks, cursing, mention of past adult/minor relationship, panic attack, suicide, sexual harassment.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Sexual harassment
jodean'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
4.0
I wish the ending had been tied up a bit more, tho.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Abortion, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
katymat18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol
longlost'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The school life of Osthorne in general felt very real and present - reading this did make me feel re-immersed in school culture, for good or for bad, and learning about all the magic lore from Ivy's outsider point-of-view was interesting. I very much enjoyed Rahul as a character (my beloved) and I appreciate the affect he had on Ivy's character development.
Regarding the murder mystery itself: I have some Thoughts.
Gailey's writing style was also very enjoyable to me; in parts of the book where they would delve so deep into a scene that it would take a few more paragraphs to learn of small circumstances that took place during the scene that weren't focused on, a choice that feels like it helped with the tension & mystery elements. Ivy's inner voice also felt very authentic.
Overall: a good mystery book with some fun fantasy elements and a cache of pain to hit you with when you reach the story's end.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Stalking, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
TW details -