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literatebird's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Infidelity
porqueerestanvicky's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Violence and Gore
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Rape
alexisgarcia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Terminal illness, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Alcohol, Dementia, Cursing, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, and Toxic relationship
ibjilln's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
However, the majority of the tense action takes place in the last 10 (short) chapters of the book and is done in a manner that feels rushed and needing to be quickly wrapped up. This is no more evident in the back to back chapters where there is a huge mistake with details.
<Spoiler> When Kirkpatrick is taken and we finally get the POV scene in chapter 95 of Pine getting ready to torture and dismember Kirkpatrick, we are given the graphic scene of Kirkpatrick having his arm sawed off. "... He couldn't ignore the feeling of the skin on his right arm being gently tugged and the river of vibrations as the saw went back and forth. He couldn't shut out the heavy groaning sound as the saw made its way through bone. Then it stopped... He could see the bone now as his arm hovered in front of his face .. he didn't close his eyes as the blood from the separated arm fell..."
As well as additional reference to his leg then being sawed through. Only to have chapter 96 tell us that "his hands were tired behind his back" and that " Henley...cut the cable ties binding Michael's wrists and feet".
It just gets worse. In chapter 98 we are told that Kirkpatrick is "being treated for dehydration and shock. He hasn't got any serious injuries." As well as a statement from him that "Pine...was going to come back and was going to start by cutting off his left arm..." Which directly contradicts chapter 95 where his arm is graphically cut off. </Spoiler>
Needless to say, this oversight, although perhaps minor to the book as a whole, took me completely out of the story. There was no coming back from that for me, and the rest of the book (4 ch.) wrapped up far too quickly and without a full resolution to completely redeem itself.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Death, Grief, Infidelity, Racism, Blood, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Suicide
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Dementia, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
__olivia__'s review
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
0.5
Why is the main character so unlikable? Actually, I have an answer for that one: she repeatedly cheats on her absolute fool of a husband and then says things like, "it was inevitable." Like, why are you getting mad at him for accusing you of cheating when you are cheating on him?? Honestly, all the characters were either flat or unlikable.
I guess a couple pages were "thrilling," but thanks to the massive page count, they end up being *at most* 2% of the book.
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture