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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I originally became interested in this book from a very interesting essay (contains spoilers): https://judgement.substack.com/p/sadako-in-2020-queerness-virality
This book has ended up becoming one of, if not my absolute, favorites of all time. I can't even fully explain exactly why, but my brain is always going back to it. I see connections to its themes in other stories, in life, everywhere. This book is the pinnacle of all things horror, mystery, and supernatural to me.
Sadako, a girl ostracized from society, full of rage, has become a legend.
This book has ended up becoming one of, if not my absolute, favorites of all time. I can't even fully explain exactly why, but my brain is always going back to it. I see connections to its themes in other stories, in life, everywhere. This book is the pinnacle of all things horror, mystery, and supernatural to me.
Sadako, a girl ostracized from society, full of rage, has become a legend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Murder
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Yes, this is the original origin of Sadako and by extension Samara, but I found this to be the least interesting and least enjoyable installment in that particular expanded universe. The characters, even the protagonist, were repulsive, and the rhetoric truly appalling; what's more, the supernatural phenomena and ultimate reveal made absolutely no sense and did nothing to justify the existence of the book as a whole. I appreciated perhaps the first three or four chapters, and then the plot not only disintegrated, but also doubled down on each of its worst qualities in turn. This review is especially rough because I'm bitter; I honestly was planning on reading the rest of the series but that clearly isn't going to happen. Oops.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Very enrapturing, especially towards the end. The solution to o the problem sort of just popped up out of thin air in a way but the story lead towards it at the same time. It was fun, my heart rate elevated, had solid twists.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of the only books that I feel like was actually spoiled by watching the movie first.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
not that scary, if you expect it to be. no one crawls out of a TV
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Infertility, Medical content