Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Book of the Most Precious Substance

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Book of the Most Precious Substance by Sara Gran

10 reviews

smolfrog's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I was really vibing with this and getting into the mystery up until the 25% mark or so, but after that it basically devolved into The Da Vinci Code but with sex and magic. You see the similarities in how the main characters basically jet around the world following leads/talking to interesting characters and you have to suspend your disbelief a lot (

why is everyone who wants the book so eager to talk to them when they repeatedly tell people that THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A COPY YET? why would the Accountant give them a $100k advance when they haven't shown any promise in actually getting the book?

), especially in terms of how other characters speak (very exposition-heavy) and just give up their knowledge surrounding this supposedly very secretive book so easily.

There are a few interesting nuggets around the theme of living with grief after unimaginable loss, but it kind of gets buried under the "shocking" sex magic of it all.

The twist with

Lucas' character

was foreseeable but fine. I did enjoy the

morally ambiguous full-circle

ending

with the protagonist getting everything she wanted but with a classic monkey's paw twist

. She isn't likeable but is sympathetic in the way she talks about

missing her husband

(except at the end when she

calls him a "moaning, drooling mess", yikes)

. I didn't like the scene in France with

the dominatrix/witches assaulting the protagonist as a way to "will her back to life"

- it essentially excuses

sexual assault because it does spiritual good

.

I like stories about a lost, mysterious or "cursed" film/book with dark knowledge, but this one failed to totally live up to the premise. It's a decent thriller though.

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pagancelt's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

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daithra's review

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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archaicrobin's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Lily is a depressed book dealer living solely to care for her husband with Alzheimer’s and dementia. She used to be a famous writer, living luxuriously with the love of her life but now she’s sold everything and struggles to make ends meet for her severely ill husband. Gran does an amazing job of setting the scene for Lily and honestly it was hard to read, her sadness and struggles are too real and I couldn’t even imagine having to live with that tragedy everyday.

Despite her hardships Lily is devoted to her husband and finding a way to help him. So when she’s offered over a million dollars for a rare occult book on sex magic, she teams up with a colleague and friend, Lucas, to find the book. What unfolds is a journey across the country to locate the book and find herself.

This book is very slow paced so if you start it, know it’s a crawl and it’s also very disturbing at times. As Lily continues searching for the book her and Lucas begin attempting it’s magic as well, which leads them to many dark and weird places. Hedonist mansions, sec magic, disgustingly rich men, it’s all pretty out there and unsettling but I loved it.

This book is not for everyone, it’s not fast paced or super exciting, it’s an atmospheric and tragic love story with elements of horror that weave together themes of loss, grief, devotion, and finding a reason to live once yours is gone. If you’re up for that, I highly recommend!

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happyknitter2020's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

'Opening a book had always been like opening a window into a new & mysterious world...When I was a child my books were my best friends...I saw that words could illustrate more than a drawing...Books had been the most lasting profound relationship in my life' pages 127-8
The quotes above say it all. A tantric, magical, whole other world, accessed by a book of magic & spells.

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professor_jango's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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doctor_reader's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

A tense, sex-positive thriller that I devoured in pretty much one sitting. The moral of the story is fairly predictable, but also much more sad than I expected.

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thecatconstellation's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is well-written and interesting, but I didn’t warm to any of the characters. It is a book about sex magic and books, so if that sounds up your alley, I would give it a try.

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what_heather_loves's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

"'You're feeding it. Giving it power. The book both gives power and receives it. Magic...It works. But the tricky things is, it never works exactly how you expect...Whatever it is that usually decides our fates - God, luck, random chance - it's smarter than us. It's always smarter. Magic works, but it's an exercise in irony, sometimes a dangerous one. Be careful.''

Former author, sensible and lacklustre Lily Albrecht has become a specialist bookseller in order to pay for beloved husband Abel's, who has advanced dementia, care. Their bright and full life has become repetitive and dull, isolated in up-state New York, whilst she works and researches miracles for Abel, leaving him with conscientious carer, Awe. At a book fair she encounters Lucas and Shyman, both of whom she knows a little; Shyman is seeking a mysterious and rare, 17th century, occult book, supposed to bring great power. When Shyman is found murdered the following day, Lily and Lucas decide to pick up where Shyman left off and find the book.

Part mystery, part supernatural thriller as well as protagonist Lily's emotional and sexual reawakening as she falls in love with Lucas whilst the pair travel to globe tracking down potential copies of the book. Imbedded in the world of antiquarian bookselling adds a wonderfully rich dimension (who doesn't love a book about books?). There is a sense of pervasive dread about their quest, building with every dark copy, every eccentric and often unpleasant character they meet. Reminding me of Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s The Shadow of the Wind, it's an engrossing tale, with obsession oozing from the page. Rather too many bodily fluids for my liking (!) but a fascinating and compelling mystery.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my review.

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huckleberryrk's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I loved this book so much. It’s bonkers and I absolutely adore it. When I learned what the “precious substance” was I totally lost my mind.

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