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josephinecambridge's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexism
sakuramom's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts
lizbradford's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
aubrey_rose's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
econsidine's review against another edition
4.25
Weird, unsettling, psychological, and full of way too relatable awkward social interactions. A book that is much more about vibes than plot, even more so than her other works.
Disclaimer: I have yet to see a cover or description for this book that actually fits the feeling of the book. It sets the reader up for disappointment & confusion even though the book itself is great. Which is weird, because many of her other books have very cool, very accurate covers.
Major content warning for getting lost in the woods/solipsism/hallucinations
Disclaimer: I have yet to see a cover or description for this book that actually fits the feeling of the book. It sets the reader up for disappointment & confusion even though the book itself is great. Which is weird, because many of her other books have very cool, very accurate covers.
Major content warning for getting lost in the woods/solipsism/hallucinations
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, and Sexual assault
lpluedd's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
For whatever reason, I found this book difficult to sink my teeth into. I didn't have this problem with the other two Shirley Jackson books I've read (THOHH and WHALITC) but something about this one threw me for a loop and I closed the book feeling like I just didn't really "get" it. I found Natalie's infatuation with the professor to be a little played-out, but Tony was an interesting addition and part of why I was so puzzled by the book is that it was not clear to me whether Tony was real or a manifestation of Natalie's psyche. (To be clear - I love ambiguity and I don't care whether Tony is real or not, I think it works either way, but I guess I wasnt sure whether it was supposed to be that ambiguous or if I was just crazy, so I had ambiguity about ambiguity, and it was a little overwhelming).
That said I am always a fan of watching someone slowly descend into insanity so I am sure I'll circle back to this book someday and maybe then it will resonate more with me.
That said I am always a fan of watching someone slowly descend into insanity so I am sure I'll circle back to this book someday and maybe then it will resonate more with me.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
dangerousaudino's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual assault
bitofadisgrace's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual assault
another_dahlia's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, and Suicide
caidyn's review against another edition
challenging
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
3.5
This is a hard book to rate. I did enjoy it, but it didn't entirely strike home for me. I didn't really like any of the characters. But having read a biography on Jackson, I could see how it was inspired by her life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault