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capercaillie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
At times I loved this, at times I hated this, and mostly I just didn't want to pick it back up to keep reading. But it was weirdly compelling (emphasis on the weird), and the end really made it for me.
Graphic: Self harm and Animal death
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Body horror
wordsofclover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Self harm and Death of parent
xiumillion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really thought I was going to love this book. I love weird stories and I had seen its praise all over booktube and booktok. Unfortunately, it just didn't do it for me. I tend to have an easier time picking out specific complaints I have when reading, rather than figuring out what I enjoyed, so I'll start with complaints. The plot holes were a big issue for me, especially with the whole magical mechanics.
- Why did Samantha go to the smut salon? Half of Samantha's personality revolved around hating the Bunnies, even unintentionally motivating her to create Ava and later Max(?) just to enact revenge against them or something. Sooo why did she go? It just did not make Samantha's character believable for me. Also, why did the Bunnies even invite her into their cult?
That plot point brings me to probably my biggest gripe: why is there so much woman hating?
Why does Samantha hate the Bunnies so much that it fuels most of the major plot points? Does she hate them because they're close and annoyingly affectionate and whatnot? Because resentment or jealousy makes sense, but it just did not seem that simple for Samantha. It also rubbed me the wrong way that once Samantha joined the Bunnies, that we caught a glimpse of the fact that the Bunnies actually hate each other or something of the like. Complimenting each other and meaning the opposite. Just kinda gross.
Finally, I was not a fan of how someone a man/hybrid (who had only known the Bunnies for a short period of time?) was enough to tear their bonds apart and make them basically break down and even harm themselves. And why is Samantha's satisfying ending having the Bunnies beaten/injured by the stag? Like Samantha's extreme and unbased hate really led to this? Idk.
As for what I did enjoy, I found the overall concept very interesting and I just love weird girl books. The writing was also great, and it felt easy to get inside Samantha's head and how she was experiencing things. But overall, this one just missed for me. Honestly I think I would've been able to look past most of the woman-hating and man-focused ending if the overall "magic" concept and character motivations made more sense to me.
Graphic: Self harm and Drug use
ruby_mae_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Self harm, Murder, and Mental illness
elizabethng2's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Gore, Blood, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal death, Drug use, Murder, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Mental illness
scmiller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Classism, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Self harm
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Blood, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body horror, Self harm, Alcohol, Car accident, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Murder, Abandonment, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Stalking, Torture, and Kidnapping
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, Infidelity, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
gandalf_a's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Death, Animal death, Classism, Animal cruelty, and Blood
Moderate: Violence, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, Murder, Mental illness, Bullying, and Addiction
Minor: Sexual content, Abandonment, Drug use, Death of parent, Cursing, Eating disorder, Alcohol, and Body horror
mijtje's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
I feel like all the things that annoy me about the book were deliberate. But I’m not sure. I feel utterly manipulated by this book. Is it good writing? Is it bad writing? Is it Awad’s writing? Or the character’s? Awad plays with her language in a very smart way to drag you into the mindset of her main character.
The book is still a little too gloomy, not-like-the-other-girls, smutty to the point of sexual frustration, and edgy for me. But maybe that was part of the experience. 4/5 bunnies from me.
Recommended if you are okay with feeling detached and confused after reading this book. Side note: I am definitely never looking at bunnies the same way.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm and Toxic friendship
Minor: Bullying, Addiction, and Alcohol
gaylien420's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Violence, Alcohol, Drug use, Gun violence, Gore, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Car accident, Classism, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Cursing, Ableism, Rape, Bullying, Death, Self harm, Sexual violence, Addiction, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
oatmxlk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Self harm, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Blood, Animal cruelty, Toxic friendship, Animal death, and Gore
Minor: Rape and Violence