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minimicropup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Although survival thrillers are rarely for me, I found this one sooo tense and stressful. I hated how it made me feel, but I was captivated!
Energy: Hostile. Distressing. Ruthless.
Scene: 🇮🇩 Set on a small, deserted island outfitted for a new reality tv show off the coast of Jakarta, Indonesia.
Perspective: We follow a virologist post-doc (30s) asked by their actor-wannabe partner to audition for a new reality show meant to test the strength of a couple’s bond. We also get snippets from the diary of a 22-year old contestant on the show. Leading up to the disaster, emergency radio calls foreshadow what’s to come.
🐕 Howls: The reality tv intrigue too quickly overshadowed by survival horrors (but that may be a plus for others). The overall book felt a little too long for me.
🐩 Tail Wags: The characters and how they’re written. The hint of extreme horror energy in certain scenes. Slow and steady pacing. Overall writing style and attention to detail. Atmosphere.
🤔 Random Thoughts:
There are a lot of unlikeable characters. They’ll make you angry; it was tense, pettiness, bickering, chest-puffing stuff especially when things were already high-stakes.
If you want fast-paced action-adventure the ethical cerebral moments may feel like interruptions, but they saved me from being exhausted by all the terrible visceral moments.
The characters and atmosphere formed around me as I was listening. Imogen Church is my fav audio narrator when paired with Ruth Ware’s storytelling style. Expressive but not melodramatic.
Prepare for extreme survival horror elements. The injuries and consequences of actions play out much like they would in nature. We get an immersive description of the smells, sounds, and sights and all the emotional aftermaths.
I got a sense for how many days were passing on the island because it felt like I’d been reading for that long!
🤓 Reader Role: Tagging along with Lila who is telling us the story from her perspective. Sometimes we are in her mind and other times watching from afar. Also a bit of a time jumper as we get glimpses into the future.
🗺️ World-Building: Immersive, layered, and atmospheric.
🔥 Fuel: What is the real story behind this reality show? What will the other couples be like? Will Nico and Lila’s relationship survive the show? Will the anyone survive?
📖 Cred: Not impossible + hyper-realistic moments
📖 Cred: Not impossible + hyper-realistic moments
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Crystal blue. Warm waves. Soft sand. Tropical summer breeze. Palm forests. Wood oil and fresh paint. Blood. Flies. Salt water. Stale pastry. Decomposition. Body odour. Terror.
- Reality TV gone Fyre Festival level wrong
- Descriptive human vs nature & human vs human survival thriller on a tropical island
- Ethical exploration and commentary around survival, murder, society, death, relationship abuse, and grief.
------
Content Heads-Up: Relationship breakdown. Verbal abuse. Body gore (graphic; blood, injury, wounds, fatalities). Corpse (discovery of, handling). Loss of romantic partner. Tropical storm (waves, destruction, high winds). Violence (physical). Murder. Psychopathy. Adult/minor relationship. Suicide (mention). Abusive partner (controlling, violent). Medical (diabetic shock).
Rep: French. British. Olive, tan, pale skin tones. Gay. Heterosexual. Cisgender. Diabetes. Diverse body sizes.
📚 Format: Library Audio
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Medical content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Suicide
pierrereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, and Blood
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Synopsis:
While trapped on a desert island a group of strangers there for a supposed dating show must survive, as a murder tries to take them out one by one.
Review:
As to the ending, I knew something was hinky with the show they were supposed to be on, but not what it was exactly and I loved that final twist.
The book was a bit long though, it seemed to drag in parts which is why it took me so long (for me) to read, there were days I didn't press play to listen because it was hard to get through. Though some of that may have been the subject matter, lots of murder, domestic abuse, and gaslighting, plus medical-type content i.e., dehydration and starvation.
Overall a good book even if it was tough for me to read, it got into many topics that need to be discussed more.
Narrator Rating: 3.5 stars
I always have mixed feelings about this narrator. She does a good job with tonal shifts and emotions, but sometimes her voice grates on me.
Review:
As to the ending, I knew something was hinky with the show they were supposed to be on, but not what it was exactly and I loved that final twist.
The book was a bit long though, it seemed to drag in parts which is why it took me so long (for me) to read, there were days I didn't press play to listen because it was hard to get through. Though some of that may have been the subject matter, lots of murder, domestic abuse, and gaslighting, plus medical-type content i.e., dehydration and starvation.
Overall a good book even if it was tough for me to read, it got into many topics that need to be discussed more.
Narrator Rating: 3.5 stars
I always have mixed feelings about this narrator. She does a good job with tonal shifts and emotions, but sometimes her voice grates on me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Grief, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Blood, Gore, Sexism, Suicide, and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
catofbones's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Medical trauma and Gore
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, and Suicide
michelle_mightbereading's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Suicide
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