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janelledv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
In recent years, I’ve become the person who is easily bored that I often just fast forward through movies and go on google to spoil myself with what happens in the story.
I did the same for this book. I was curious who among the suspects was the killer because all evidences seemed to point to Strike’s stepfather, but no, I told myself it wouldn’t be that easy. So I looked up who’s the murderer when I wasn’t even halfway through the book. After learning the spoilers, I continued on because I wanted to know how Strike would uncover the truth about the case. When I got to the end, IT STILL SHOCKED ME.
Even after knowing who the murderer is earlier on, I was sincerely still shocked because the one thing that allowed Strike to know who the killer was was such a minuscule detail that I wouldn’t have bothered noting.
I LOVED IT! But Strike and Robin’s romance story is frustrating for me. Though I wouldn’t complain much as long as I’m distracted with the case at hand trying to form my own conclusions given as I read through the book.
Graphic: Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, and Stalking
liliya_klein's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gore and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Child abuse
another_fine_reader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, and Stalking
evalwymmd'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Death, Sexism, Stalking, Sexual violence, Addiction, Blood, Drug use, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, and Rape
daisydays128's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Blood, Pedophilia, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Torture, Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Child death, and Body horror
ladythana'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? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Stalking, Medical trauma, Rape, Grief, Sexual violence, Blood, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Chronic illness, Vomit, Alcohol, and Self harm
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Incest, Infidelity, Trafficking, and Eating disorder
clairevn's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Murder, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape
cottagefairynatalie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Sexual assault, Rape, and Physical abuse
jhbandcats's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The three smarmy suspects are truly revolting and terrible people. Rowling develops their characters to show the depths of their obsessions and psychosis. I always wonder where comes up with the details of the evil in the world. Of course, a glimpse through the news is likely to give her ample fodder.
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Violence, Addiction, Eating disorder, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Chronic illness, Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, Medical trauma, Stalking, and Torture
sleepy_yoshi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The series has always applied a form of fuzzy logic in catching the criminal. Strike tends to work heavily off intuition, but I tend to overlook this to some extent because he's not actually in law enforcement even if that's his background. In this novel however you can't overlook it because that's all the case is. At one point he literally says that there's no logic in the suspects he's been investigating for months at that point. Instead he says that "he feels it in his gut" that one of them is guilty. It's incredibly circular. He believes it to be true because he believes it to be. Him not being objective is of course intentional, but I find it incredibly frustrating when mysteries rely on "intuition" rather than deduction.
Then you have the conveniences. These have always existed in some way in the previous books, but never to this extent. Read the synopsis, Strike knows 4 people are suspects, though he dismisses one immediately with fairly flimsy reasoning. So 3 people left, who all happen to be similar builds, all happen to have the same haircut, all have/had sons that they are estranged to, all happen to be in London though it's not where they hail from. How do we know the killers characteristics? Cause for the first time we get their perspective intermixed in the novel, but even though Strike doesn't know that he still picked out 3 people immediately just from the crime (no actual evidence etc), who fit the perspective given by the killer. And many, many more instances across the story that would involve spoilers.
The good? Strike and Robin's working relationship is still the highlight of the book. The way they feed off one another is fun to read and you really get the sense of how integral she has turned out to be when it comes to investigating. Too bad that so much of the book is dedicated to the melodrama that is her relationship with Matthew.
I'll still read #4 cause the first two were good enough to give Rowling the benefit of the doubt, but what a let down this was.
Moderate: Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pedophilia and Sexual assault