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thewoodlandbookshelf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Torture, Violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Child death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Rape, Toxic friendship, Murder, Death, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia and Ableism
chl0reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Toxic friendship, Child death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Abandonment, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Ableism, Alcohol, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Body shaming, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, and Self harm
brontesmovingbooks's review
- 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? Yes
5.0
It’s not for people with no stomach for violence. However I will say it refreshingly lacked a lot of on-screen gore or crime. Mostly it was descriptions.
I found it a complex and deep dive into girlhood and it’s extremes.
I also live strikingly close to and are a similar age to the fictional girls involved. So it really hit home.
I too was a depressed teen girl on tumblr begging to fit in and never quite managing.
I will say however high my rating I did find one major flaw in the book for me personally.
Joni.
I still can’t decide if it was intentional by Clark or not. I believe it was based on the last section (the interview). But I still don’t enjoy that we know more about the murderers than we do the victim.
I believe this ties into the authors narrative around true crime and it’s community, but it was still disappointing.
Overall wow. It was truly haunting. And I think it will stay with me for a very long time.
I have never read such a scathing look of true crime and it was phenomenal.
Graphic: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Homophobia
Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, Ableism, and Child abuse
rebeccafarren'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Murder, Suicide, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Ableism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Drug use
milesjmoran's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Violence