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sauvageloup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
pros:
- the cult setting was extremely well done, very frightening and sinister and the traumatic effect on Robin and the others was obvious in their reactions. It definitely made you think about the horrors of cults.
- sadly J.K. is a talented writer and the pacing and characters are very good, with the complicated plot coming together and the characters growing throughout, to a degree.
cons
- the plot did feel too complicated towards the end as I struggled to keep straight who certain people were, including Graves and Abigail and some others. Would probably reward a reread.
- Strike was a bit annoying in this book, as he seemed naive/careless about the torment Robin went through (which though well addressed as it was happening and immediately after, seemed to be forgotten as the plot came together at the end), his jealousy towards Murphy is tiring, and his lack of action towards Robin gets frustrating.
- J.K. is clearly also making a point about how the law hesitates to go against people for PC reasons and overly tip toeing around sensitive issues, like religious freedom and people living differently. Strike snidely says 'live and let live' to criticise the cult. I think she is doing a subtle dig here towards trans people and their rights.
but overall another compelling Robin and Strike novel, probably the one that gripped me most so far with the scary cult plot.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Stalking, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Abortion, Body horror, Medical content, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, and Alcohol
All the content warnings here, very dark.vikkiph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Violence, Homophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking
Moderate: Dementia and Cancer
rnbhargava's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Grief, Alcoholism, Addiction, Biphobia, Body horror, Gun violence, Suicide, Miscarriage, Self harm, Torture, Trafficking, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, Slavery, Stalking, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Excrement, Ableism, Violence, and Bullying
There’s murder, sexual coercion and assault on underaged and of age characters mentioned and suggested. There’s drowning, confinement in tight, restrictive spaces, there’s mental and physical manipulation and torture. There’s hired hit men and lurkers. The plot has to do with a controversial cult that uses a lot of cultural appropriation of Asian religions and philosophies in the cult’s supposed doctrine. There are also scenes and depictions of endangering small children’s welfare. Cult characters assault female characters quite obviously as well. There are characters with mental and physical health problems. There’s suicide and murder. Look at the triggers.hexagon9067's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Physical abuse, Suicide, Homophobia, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Trafficking, Slavery, Infidelity, Death, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Cancer, Child death, Alcoholism, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Murder, Incest, Gaslighting, Confinement, Child abuse, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse
keegan85's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Trafficking, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, and Misogyny
wifeslife'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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Self harm, Cancer, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Death, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Suicide, Sexual assault, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Dementia, and Injury/Injury detail
froukjereads's review against another edition
3.5
I read it to see where she would take Cormoran and Robin, and I’ll give her some stars for that. It was much better than the ink-black heart, and I love Strike and Robin as much as I hate the author.
I feel like JKR needs to stop putting her real life grievances into her books (last time it was cancel culture, now she has
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Dementia, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Violence, Child death, Miscarriage, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
I cannot believe the number of content warnings I have had to add to this book.ashleygreenslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Misogyny, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Abortion, Addiction, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, and Violence
221sketches's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death of parent, Mental illness, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Physical abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Rape, and Self harm