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alexishp23'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
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer and Dementia
maggies'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: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Blood, Dementia, Trafficking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
hugsowls's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
coolbeans995's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
Probably one of my favorite in the series.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Suicide, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Trafficking
lukerik'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? No
4.0
Anyway, at one point a character gets a bit flustered and says:
‘Like, he got what it’s like, to be… what it feels like, not to be… like, to be different, you know?’
Beautifully observed. And when characters say ‘only’ with a silent l she writes it o’ny. If she’d gone for ony or on’y my eye would have seen it as a short o. We’re lucky to get this level of detail in a writer’s work. This book has been published by Hachette. There are a few typos but it’s pretty easy to work out which word is missing or substituted.
It’s not really a spoiler to say that in this one Robin goes undercover in a cult. It happens pretty early on, though this being a 1000 page book that’s a relative term. I found these chapters really tense. It was a relief when it would cut back to Strike. We’re not talking Sarah Waters levels of tense, but I’ve not seen Rowling maintain that level of danger-tension for so long before. Sexual tension, yes.
So the main theme of the novel appears to be social withdrawal. I can’t mention some of the big examples because it’d spoil the plot, but one big one would be the cult members withdrawing physically from their friends and family. Robin is in a sense withdrawing from Murphy by going undercover. Other withdrawals are via death, which is a very rude way of doing it if you ask me. Not all withdrawals are voluntary. Strike’s uncle for example cannot help his withdrawal as his mind collapses.
This brings us to the second bit theme, personal agency. To what extent are the cult members responsible for their withdrawal and actions generally when they’ve been brainwashed? It’s a very humane novel.
It’s also well balanced. In withdrawing into the cult, the members are also joining a new society, and in leaving the cult are re-entering the new one. The prime example of this social insertion, this leap of faith comes in the epilogue. Be careful what reviews you read before getting to it.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, and Murder
jhbandcats'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
4.5
This entry in the series is particularly horrific. I knew the part about Robin going undercover in a cult was going to be tense but I didn’t know it would be quite as terrifying as it was. I found myself consumed with dread as I read it and kept having to stop and pull back from the story.
I did have trouble keeping the relationships of the characters straight. There were a lot of people and parentage wasn’t always what the cult leaders claimed. The next time I read this I’ll make a cheat sheet so I can remember who’s who.
I’m already looking forward to the next in the series. I hope there are a lot more books to come.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Trafficking, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
dianezeise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Self harm, Trafficking, and Stalking
kirstym25'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
3.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Medical content, and Pregnancy
madelaney's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail