Reviews with content warning for Suicide - Such Pretty Flowers

Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Such Pretty Flowers by K.L. Cerra

21 reviews

michealasharp's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I loved the Southern Gothic elements and found myself hooked in the final quarte of the book as it dipped into the horror space. However, some parts of the plot felt unnecessary while there were others I wanted to see flushed out more and I was left not entirely satisfied by the resolution. Still worth the read if you're looking for something a little spooky, especially if you're interested in botany!

Content Warnings

luminousbluebells's review

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Content Warnings

amjz's review

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

behindherpages's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Content Warnings

snowwhitehatesapples's review

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Also on Snow White Hates Apples.

“Get it out get it out oh god get it out of me”

Dane has been acting weird for months, but because he moved in with his girlfriend Maura, Holly hasn’t truly witnessed how far her brother has deteriorated until it’s much too late to save him. However, Dane’s death is too unusual to be anything as straightforward as what the police have determined as suicide by psychosis. After all, Holly has his last messages talking about a game Maura wants to play and that he needs something out of him — something he’s desperate enough to remove by cleaving himself open. So, determined to learn the truth, Holly stalks Maura, moves in with her and plays a dangerous game where lives are at stake.

Told in a gripping, dark and unflinching manner, Such Pretty Flowers is a bizarre read that kept me turning the pages. Like Holly, I couldn’t help but be drawn in by Maura. She’s eccentric and creepy, but also magnetic and beautiful. Sometimes, she appears delicate and fragile. Others, she’s powerful and dangerous. Honestly, there were moments when I thought the story would’ve been amazing had it been told in Maura’s POV. She’s just that fascinating and I really wouldn’t mind reading a companion novel on her side of the story.

But, this doesn’t mean that the story being told in Holly’s POV is bad. Sure, there are times when her actions are frustrating because she acts like those typical characters who die first in horror movies, yet without this side of her, there wouldn’t have been the rest of the story. Moreover, without her dullness, I don’t think the psychological thriller aspect of this book would’ve been as strong too.

Nevertheless, as suspenseful and intriguing as the book is, I think there’s a lot of missed potential with the setting, especially considering the history of Savannah and the eerie, atmospheric gothic horror vibes that are present but had little chance to shine and bring the entire impact of the book up a notch. It’s such a shame!

Still, Such Pretty Flowers is an engaging story that’s perfect for bringing one out of their reading slump. It’s fresh and strange enough to be devoured in one sitting.

Content Warnings