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rosie_sloan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, and Islamophobia
Minor: Violence, Blood, Grief, and War
lou_o_donnell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
antoniarachael28's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
amberinbookland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Pedophilia
acascadeofbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
bookishalice's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
🕚 The story takes place over just 3 hours, telling the story of a school in England under attack by a gunman. I couldn’t put the book down, picking it up even for a couple of minutes.
💭 The insight into the characters thoughts and motivations as they live through this tragic experience was truly captivating.
🤔 Rosamund drops hints about who the gunman is throughout and it was brilliant. It made me theorise and guess all the way through and when I was sure who it was, I was screaming at the book. But even then, there was a twist towards the end that turned my stomach.
🌊 I felt like there was wave after wave of realisation. Each one hit me a little harder as I realised what it meant for the characters.
📝 Not only is this a brilliant piece of writing, it’s an important message too. It shook me, but in the best possible way.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, and Islamophobia
thepagesofmrsd's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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I felt this this was incredibly well done. A range of difficult and important themes (ranging from terrorism, radicalisation, and Islamophobia to parenthood, adolescence, and the impact and responsibility of the media) are explored with sensitivity, and feel central to the plot without taking away from it. This was a thriller that kept you on the edge of your seat, like any good thriller should, whilst also making you think more deeply.
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There are a lot of characters to keep track of which could feel overwhelming, but I actually liked it. The structure of multiple points of view, as well as the references to time, made the narrative feel more urgent and more believable. As well as this, despite the multiple viewpoints, the characters have very well thought out histories, making it easier to engage with them and their individual stories within the main tale.
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The writing, too, was very emotive and I loved the links with Macbeth that were scattered throughout. Yes, there were some elements of the plot that I found less believable than others, and it all ended very neatly, but I was actually quite okay with that.
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This book won't necessarily be for everyone, and the difficult themes may be too much for some readers (particularly if you have school age children), but my goodness I thought it was brilliant. I read it quickly and found it both thrilling and extremely powerful. It was a story of misunderstanding and fear, yet also one of resilience, courage, and love. This is a must read for thriller fans who are looking for something a little more thought-provoking, whilst still packing a punch.
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Islamophobia, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Homophobia and Transphobia
kates89's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence
The book is very realistic and makes you think of what it would be like if you were in the same situationlani's review against another edition
- 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: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Hate crime, Violence, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia
pagesofquinn's review against another edition
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, and Vomit