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booknerdhp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Stalking, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Murder, Gun violence, Child abuse, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Kidnapping, and Death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Drug use, Death of parent, Rape, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Child death, Alcohol, Death, and Confinement
Definitly check the trigger warnings, it is darkkoskins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Violence, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Sexual assault
arrow3002's review against another edition
Graphic: Torture, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Slavery, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Grief, Death, Stalking, Mental illness, Alcohol, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Medical content, Gun violence, Gore, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cannibalism
checkabookout's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Murder, Death, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Panic attacks/disorders
kat1105's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Torture, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Addiction, Trafficking, Death of parent, Blood, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
jureadswithjoy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book is certainly dark but all the social media attention barely gives it justice. I refused to read any reviews before going into this book. I went in blind and I loved every minute of it.
Let me preface by saying this : Please DNF if it gets too much for you. There are trigger warnings at the start. They say what you are going to get on the first page and not everyone can read that type of things, which is valid. Protect your mental health first as the author says it herself before even starting her story.
If you decide to continue and attack readers and the author for it, that's on you.
I'll start with the most obvious, Zade. I believe that the main reason why people get either obsessed or repulsed is because contrary to many dark romance books or beloved romance characters, he is not simply morally grey. It is very reductive to say that he "does bad things for a good cause". In many ways, he does but with Addie, he justifies bad things in the name of love. Some would call him a hypocrite, I would just call him an anti-villain. In his mind, he is justified to refuse Addie basic consent because his goal is for her to fall in love with him. The means justify the end, and obviously in this, it is a problem for the "hero" of the story, Adeline. He creates his own moral code and that is why he leaves so many reeling. How could you be refusing consent to this woman you are obsessed with and at the same time do so many bad things to bad guys, Dexter style? That's, for me, the complexity and beauty of this character. He is a villain in her story, and tells her as much. You also know immediately what you are going to get. I appreciated the straightforwardness, the absence of manipulation : his intentions are stated from the get go.
Adeline is an hilarious and very relatable character. I did not expect so much comic relief (and it was needed) from Adeline and her best friend. She is a socially anxious 26 year-old woman who gets off on fear. A match made in heaven for Zade (ultimately I guess). I think that her attraction to Zade makes absolute sense. As someone who is not comfortable around people and into social situations, a man coming to her and taking that stress away from her to replace it with fear play, which she likes, is coherent with her character. I enjoyed that her progression from fear to shame to acceptance was very slow and steady. There is no point in the story when I thought "that's going too fast".
The Villains. They are perfect villains in the sense that they are absolutely despicable for no good reasons. I am absolute distraught and disgusted by what they have in mind. I want them 💀 (hey, look at me pushing the boundaries of my own moral compass, isn't that what a good book does ?!)
The writing is my only critique. I enjoyed that it is accessible and paints a great picture of a gothic setting (I would pee myself if I had to even enter Parsons Manor, that place is creepy AF). However, I would have preferred the past tense for this story. It is written in the present and I think that makes it too "common". I am not sure I have the words in English to say what I want to say. Maybe something like it would have had more flair ?
Graphic: Trafficking, Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Torture, Slavery, and Stalking
lauritbh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Stalking, Trafficking, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Torture, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Drug use, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
tanner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Rape, Child death, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia
Minor: Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
psyched_np's review against another edition
- 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: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Trafficking and Violence
ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Infidelity, Cursing, Blood, Alcohol, and Death