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faye_grace's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Cannibalism, and Child death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Alcoholism and Drug use
chooper454's review
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Murder and Violence
devynreadsnovels's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Murder, Cannibalism, Child death, Torture, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Body horror, Stalking, Violence, Cursing, Blood, Kidnapping, and Death
Minor: Car accident, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Confinement, Bullying, and Gun violence
bradblaz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Car accident, Gun violence, Police brutality, Violence, Body horror, and Stalking
loucadoslivros'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? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Violence and Murder
louisegraveyard's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Violence, Body horror, Physical abuse, Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
leveledmouse's review
- 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
4.5
0.5 deducted because I honestly dgaf about sports.
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore
markedwithanm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
rubyrae48's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Violence
connorjdaley's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I strangely read this before/at the same time as/during/ two other reads (Wild Things by Ian Thomas/ Goosebumps: Hall of Horrors: Claws by R. L. Stine) that also starred young kids/teenage girls. It’s interesting to see how all of the author’s portrayed them and the differences. Malerman’s features high school characters from the girl’s basketball team, and it was nice to see him have them act/speak age appropriate. One thing that surprised me though was that it’s meant to be current, but there wasn’t anything indicting the generation in any way in terms of slang.
This book very heavily leans into basketball. It bleeds into the plot, the settings, the characters, everything. As someone that doesn’t really care for it, it made it kind of hard to get into the story for me. While I understand that reading is a way to learn and experience perspectives we do not live ourselves, it just doesn’t work for me in that way. IE. I’ve never been a teenage girl living through the trauma of a horror novel, therefore that’s a perspective I can get behind. However, entire pages about free throws is not the same in my opinion, although I’ve never been a basketball player either.
After reading the afterward where the author speaks to his love of basketball I can accept it though. He also speaks of his experience with anxiety, as this novel goes pretty heavily into bad anxiety, anxiety attacks, and panic attacks. I myself suffer from some pretty bad anxiety, and although what the author is describing does not match my personal experience, knowing it entails a bit of his personal experience makes it more enjoyable.
One writing technique that the author uses that I thoroughly enjoyed was doing away with normal chapters. The novel does feature typical breaking points, but there is not a single conventional chapter in its entirety. At first I think it took me a while to get into in terms to pacing, as well as making a few points confusing, but it lead to one hell of an explosive ending.
Another good entry from the author.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Cannibalism, Cursing, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, Child death, Murder, Body horror, and Violence