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scholastic_squid's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Death, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Infidelity, and Murder
vagrantheather's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
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
3.0
A quick, easy read - light horror (objectively horrifying but not a scary read). The dark humor was nice. Ultimately predictable and didn't like the characters much. The audiobook narration hit the mark.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Murder and Violence
frekdal's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal death, Body horror, Death, Blood, Gore, and Murder
rubberrosebooks's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
mabelsyrup's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Great concept. I really enjoyed where the story went.
My main issue with Come Closer is that at times the writing was kinda matter of fact, I'm not saying I wanted it to have flowery language a la classic lit, but SOME flourish to the flow of the story would've been nice; like there were parts where characters would be talking and it'd be dialogue after dialogue and then a random "i started crying" to indicate a switch up in her demeanor, nothing else, idk if it's kinda dumb but it made the story appear bare bones at times. This also ties into my issue about the story not going out there as much, i wanted to know everything about Amanda and Naamah, why was her imaginary friend important to the story? what's up with the girl they had locked up in the bathroom? what where the herbs and roots for? what was she really doing when she blacked out? WHY WAS A DOG TRYING TO FUCK HER AND WHY DID SHE FEEL BAD WHEN IT STOPPED TRYING?? I wanted to read those things but maybe the author couldn't find a way to express it right or maybe she did but it was too much and decided to make it this vague.
Either way the story was captivating and interesting, the way Naamah chooses why and who to attach herself to was so crazy and yeah, maybe I'm also prone to a demonic possesion who knows. I also really liked how the book ended lmao, there wasn't a magical good witch or priest to save Amanda; she was in too deep and now she's forever doomed to living life looking through a peep hole and getting a few minutes of autonomy, sickening.
I can see why it's got a following even after 20 years, not necessarily a new favourite tho.
"We could devote our lives to maing sense of the odd, the inexplicable, the coincidental. But most of us don't, and I didn't"
"For the rest of that summer and fall I wore the red lipstick almost every day and when it ran out, in mid-November, I went back to the same drugstore and stole another tube" idk why but this was so cunt, i can't explain it
"Everyone has thoughts like this from time to time: What if I burned my husband? Whta if I pushed him off this cliff? What if I jumped off this roof?"
"Ed would come home each night and complain about the heat and I wanted to kill him. I knew it was hot. I didn't need to talk about it"
"You'll never leave?" I asked
"Never, nothing can get me out"
My main issue with Come Closer is that at times the writing was kinda matter of fact, I'm not saying I wanted it to have flowery language a la classic lit, but SOME flourish to the flow of the story would've been nice; like there were parts where characters would be talking and it'd be dialogue after dialogue and then a random "i started crying" to indicate a switch up in her demeanor, nothing else, idk if it's kinda dumb but it made the story appear bare bones at times. This also ties into my issue about the story not going out there as much, i wanted to know everything about Amanda and Naamah, why was her imaginary friend important to the story? what's up with the girl they had locked up in the bathroom? what where the herbs and roots for? what was she really doing when she blacked out? WHY WAS A DOG TRYING TO FUCK HER AND WHY DID SHE FEEL BAD WHEN IT STOPPED TRYING?? I wanted to read those things but maybe the author couldn't find a way to express it right or maybe she did but it was too much and decided to make it this vague.
Either way the story was captivating and interesting, the way Naamah chooses why and who to attach herself to was so crazy and yeah, maybe I'm also prone to a demonic possesion who knows. I also really liked how the book ended lmao, there wasn't a magical good witch or priest to save Amanda; she was in too deep and now she's forever doomed to living life looking through a peep hole and getting a few minutes of autonomy, sickening.
I can see why it's got a following even after 20 years, not necessarily a new favourite tho.
"We could devote our lives to maing sense of the odd, the inexplicable, the coincidental. But most of us don't, and I didn't"
"For the rest of that summer and fall I wore the red lipstick almost every day and when it ran out, in mid-November, I went back to the same drugstore and stole another tube" idk why but this was so cunt, i can't explain it
"Everyone has thoughts like this from time to time: What if I burned my husband? Whta if I pushed him off this cliff? What if I jumped off this roof?"
"Ed would come home each night and complain about the heat and I wanted to kill him. I knew it was hot. I didn't need to talk about it"
"You'll never leave?" I asked
"Never, nothing can get me out"
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder
katreena's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Minor: Vomit
soobooksalot's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Come Closer is not the typical possession story. IS it a possession story?
Depends on your interpretation!
Amanda has been going through it. Hearing noises, seeing things, behavior untypical for her.
Is she coming into her own, or is it something much more sinister?
Come Closer by Sara Gran is unsettling in that it's not written like horror. It's straightforward, with a relatable main character.
It's a quick and excellent creepy read. Recommended!
Depends on your interpretation!
Amanda has been going through it. Hearing noises, seeing things, behavior untypical for her.
Is she coming into her own, or is it something much more sinister?
Come Closer by Sara Gran is unsettling in that it's not written like horror. It's straightforward, with a relatable main character.
It's a quick and excellent creepy read. Recommended!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Infidelity, Animal death, Sexual content, Alcohol, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence
carbinara's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Really enjoyed this book! Quick and fun read to set the mood for halloween, although sometimes felt it was a little too quick and dramatic. Still, had a good time reading it :) Felt proper bad for Amanda come the end bless x
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Murder, Death, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content
thereadingdude's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, and Gore
bskell's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Blood
Moderate: Infidelity