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piperclover's review against another edition
The opening chapter of this book made me think that it was going to be a ya version of They Never Learn but that opening scene of her hunting and stalking this bad man to kill is the only time in the first 52% we see that happen so I was set up for something that never came.
This has great themes about morality.
Jihoon does a similar thing and he does it fairly well but he does it by being so charming and gregarious that people think he has all of these friends so nobody gets close to him. This creates a really interesting dynamic where they do the same thing and therefore make logical sense to be together or at least be friends because they understand what being abandoned by a parent feels like and being lonely but because they go about their isolation in such vastly different ways, they butt heads about everything.
All of these points are intriguing but I'm just not vibing with the plot much.
Graphic: Violence and Murder
sophieamreacher's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Animal death
kassidyreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Violence, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Medical content
Minor: Animal death
hello_lovely13's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Grief and Child abuse
andatherrin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Kidnapping
Minor: Police brutality, Animal cruelty, and Sexual harassment
movedtogoodreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Abandonment
miss__manga__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Torture, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Body shaming
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Child abuse
_forestofpages's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Going into this expecting a young adult romance with mythical elements was the best way for me, because I ended up surprised and delighted by the nuance and emotional storytelling. This was more than a slow burn romance, this was about identity, legacy, family, parental relationships, friendship and grief. I cried or had to hold back tears more than once because I related to the characters so deeply. I loved the main two characters the most, but everyone felt nuanced and fleshed out.
If you are looking for a heavy plot-focused story, or a very detailed world, this is light on those elements. But it's so deep in character and emotion. Especially if you had a complex relationship with your parents.
The Korean mythology and the sections that were dedicated to talking just about gumiho and various past gumiho, was amazing and felt like natural breaks. Those short tales also helped to explain the extreme suffering aat the hands of humand, and complexity of gumiho's feelings towards them. Which helped to explain certain motherly figures.
All in all. I loved this more than I thought I would and will be getting the second, and last book in this duology.
Graphic: Death of parent and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcohol
kitausu's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
deadbookishsociety's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Gore, Grief, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail