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bloomingrose92's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Torture, Biphobia, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Self harm, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault
bookishmillennial's review
- 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? Yes
Wow, this was ... quite the ride! This creeped me the f*ck out so I'd say it was a successful piece of horror work! I had read Krystal Sutherland's romances previously, so this was an intriguing change of page from that.
Admittedly, I didn't see the ending coming, and I kind of love that for me!? I feel like I could sympathize with Iris's feelings of confusion, uncertainty, and anxiety throughout the book because of my oblivion regarding the big reveal in the final pages of the story. I felt I could fully take in the mystery and the angst that Iris felt.
Most of the book takes place as Vivi and Iris are on the run from a man in a bone mask, who has been actively stalking them and their older sister Grey for some time now. Iris is 17, Vivi is 19, and Grey is 21; ten years ago, they returned home after going missing for 31 days (they vanished without a trace!). It has been the talk of the town, but things were immediately different upon their return. They lost their father Gabe Hollow, their mother Cate Hollow was noticeably distant, and Grey and Vivi ended up leaving home quite young, with Iris all alone with her co-dependent mom Cate (who does not like to be called "mom"). When Grey goes missing, Vivi and Iris reach out to Tyler Yang, Grey's ex-boyfriend, to help them follow the breadcrumbs and see where she has disappeared to.
I felt the subplot of the romantic connection between Iris and Tyler was unnecessary; I know a lot of people enjoy ex's sibling tropes or forbidden romances, but it's just not my thing, and I felt uncomfortable with a 22-year-old man being romantically involved with a 17-year-old minor.. Anyway!!! Tyler was goofy and I appreciate a bit of levity in a horror story, but I don't particularly vibe with the epilogue regarding his hinted ending. Look, all that for some dude? Couldn't be me!
The sisters did feel a bit like cardboard cutouts of characters I have seen before plenty of times: an elusive, enigmatic, stunning, has-it-all bohemian lifestyle model and oldest sister, Grey; the outspoken rockstar and hardass sapphic middle sister, Vivi; the reclusive, introverted, wallflower youngest sister, Iris. Once I got to the ending, I realized that these archetypes actually made a lot more sense. However, getting to know each of them in the 90% before then was a bit of a snooze.
The relationship between Cate and Iris felt suffocating and insufferable, but I am probably projecting because my mom was extremely strict when I was a teenager, so I simply hated that for Iris. It is a LOT to have a parent like that. Anyway, even though I felt the middle part of this book flopped and was a chore to get through, I mostly thought this was clever - folktales and fantasy mixed their way in with horror in this story about sisters, secrets, and uncovering who you really are, and I will read more from KS in the future!
Graphic: Child death, Stalking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide, Gore, Death, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Death of parent, Child abuse, Bullying, and Blood
historyoftape'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
cecinamo's review
- 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
4.75
Alsoo there is sapphic rep!!!!
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Drug use, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Gun violence, and Pedophilia
mary_stormageddon's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Vomit, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Body horror, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Suicide
sparklingstarling's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Death, Child death, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Suicide, Self harm, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Addiction, Sexual assault, and Gun violence
thebookraiders's review
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Death, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
giulianalb99'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: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Rape, Self harm, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Drug use, Medical content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cursing and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
bmf223's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Body horror, and Death of parent
danaleelin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Vomit, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Death, Cursing, Animal death, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Child death, Violence, Alcohol, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Blood
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Torture, Suicide, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship