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alisonvh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Cancer and Deadnaming
apersonfromflorida's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Deadnaming, Blood, and Pandemic/Epidemic
arlaubscher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gore, Violence, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Grief and Fire/Fire injury
corpsewhale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Minor: Death and Violence
itsbrianascall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
callmekt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
That said, it's a fun romp and adventure. Reads like it would make a killer screen adaptation. Hollywood, please produce this.
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death, Murder, and Alcohol
devynreadsnovels's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
billievee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Having said that, the author's note at the end did resonate with me. It sounds like this was the novel John Scalzi needed to write at the height of the pandemic, and that it was healing for him. I can relate to that, and I'm happy this worked for him. I guess it just wasn't the novel I needed to read right now.
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture
jhbandcats's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The lead was the only fully developed character but the plot was so compelling that that didn’t matter. We learned enough about the other people where the lack of character development didn’t detract from the story but allowed more development of the setting and the kaiju.
The encounters with the creatures are tense and often terrifying; even the smallest animals are potentially deadly. But those adventures are also wildly funny, especially the initial helicopter trip with the pheromones. The calmer periods in between the field work are full of laughter and jokes and camaraderie, and I would love to read more about these people. They were smart and fascinating and easygoing and fun.
I loved the revolting descriptions of the kaiju and their smells, their Rottweiler-sized parasites, and all the other fauna, plus all the scientific talk that supported the plot. It was just a delightful book.
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
readerette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This alternate-Earth story starts with a decent amount of world-building and character development, and then an emotional twist emerges (that you'll probably see coming if you've read many mysteries/sci fi). The resolution is sweet and keeps the humor alive. I also appreciate the length. Not every story needs to be a tome, and this one was just right. And the villain is very hateable (but not so much that my taste for the story soured, and their arc went the way it should have).
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Violence