Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - Eeny Meeny

I honestly cannot tell you why I finished this book. About a hundred pages in, I wasn't actually that intrigued nor that happy with it, but there was something in reading a bad book that got me this time. That is to say, I don't know if its the Norwegian translation or if the original English is as bad, but when I say bad book, I also mean that it was poorly written.

I wil try to do this spoiler free, but honestly, the book isn't worth anyones time, so why care?

Lets start with the fact that Arlidge doesn't manage to keep his POVs consistent. Not only is there two chapters at the start from first person whilst this never happens again, but during other POVs in third person they sometimes switch in the middle which is distracting and idiotic. Not only that, (and this may very well be the Norwegian translation), but the writing is... I don't have a word for it, but the sentences are not constructed properly. At best, it's a bad translation, at worst, it's the original text. I'll give the benefit of the doubt, but I honestly wouldn't expect a lot.

Whilst on the topic of his writing, (once again, may be just the Norwegian translation) but during one chapter they talk about a trans woman and use a word that--in Norwegian--is considered a slur tbh. It degrading and I think it's in bad taste that the translator used it. It's even one less character to use something that isn't bad. And on that topic, the trans "represantation" (a dead girl) is absolutely awful and the author shows no respect for people who has gone through gender affirming surgery. I do not care that the plot makes it out to be just to escape her pervious life, there's another character who also does that and does not transition. (I know this book was written in 2014 and that that's somehow 9 years ago (wow), but that still doesnt make it okay).

As for the plot, it was halfway intriguing. I thought the concept was interesting, but the execution severely lacked. Not only is there a giant plot hole in the form of the fact that phones in 2014 had the emergency number thingy avaliable without a code and that that also works without service, but in genereal, the plot lacks. There are multiple things that I don't understand why happens, and the ending could literally have been avoided, like the whole endind (maybe with the exception of capturing the murderer) could've been avoided and I don't understand why there wasn't a possiblity to do it differently in a way that made more sense.

Also, the book is super predictable. I found most of the characters boring, and honestly, pretty stupid.

I figured it out. The only reason why I finished the book was because I needed another bad book to rant about every now and again. A completely valid reason for reading books you're not enjoying, but don't use this one. It's not worth it.

Content Warnings

natrix's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

Content Warnings

kirstyjuliette's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I can’t believe none of the comments I have read mention the disgusting transphobic language. I struggled to put a star review on this as I did enjoy the story but I simply cannot review this higher due to the completely unnecessary and jarring language used. And also the main character being pretty much abusive to her paid dom, but that’s a whole other review.

Content Warnings

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