Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - The Anomaly

Very interesting concept and great execution in terms of plot, logistics, planning, pacing: if looked at in context of bigger picture, almost a philosophical novel. A complicated and ambitious idea, well-handled. However, character-wise very clearly a book written by a European middle-aged man. I was quite put off by the fetishization of "slim", girl-like, youthful, fragile bodies. Also, I found the female characters to be significantly flatter and less variable than their male counterparts, but that may be a question of personal taste. A thrilling thriller with a highly intriguing idea behind it, but I found little depth in its characters, and would hardly say it's life-altering.

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bleepbloop's review against another edition

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3.5

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blobbybooks's review

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adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A great concept but the execution leaves a little to be desired. A few too many characters to keep track of and a few moments/plot points that felt cringey or overused. Still, a page turner with mostly enjoyable characters and a dark humor that I enjoy!

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torismazarine's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective slow-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? It's complicated

2.0

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hkilmartin's review

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challenging dark funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

2.75

The premise is engrossing and intriguing, and I didn’t mind the frequent detours into philosophical rumination. In some parts it was also very funny, which helped to lighten the load. However the author draws his characters shallowly, and his depiction of women— in particular those that he regards as primarily sexual beings—is distracting, even somewhat cruel. His unnecessary foray into a child sex abuse plotline for no real plot payoff also left me baffled.

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