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hann_smc'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
4.25
I genuinely loved this as a modern take on Celtic folklore. I'm typically not a horror person, but I think this was really well done. Some of the body horror stuff made me cringe but I'm easily made to cringe, so that's a low bar.
I am absolutely a sucker for sibling love / loyalty. I'll eat that shit up every time and this book was no different. Seeing the lengths that these sisters would go to to protect each other, even while arguing / disagreeing and at times not knowing if the others would do the same for them? Chef's kiss.
I absolutely cannot believe how long it took me to realize Gabe was the masked man. There were so many clues leading up to the reveal and she still got me
That being said, there were a few things I didn't like, in terms of characterization. To be honest though I think most of them are personal preference more than like ACTUAL problems with the story.
1.I think the kiss with Iris and Tyler was unnecessary. We already saw with the broken pinky that Iris had an unhealthy obsession with wanting to be exactly like Grey. I feel like the kiss felt more like a betrayal to her sister than an obsession with wanting to be like her. It just didn't hit me the way I think it was meant to.
2.I think Iris should grow up and forgive Grey. I said what I said. I knowww that part of the growth was her realizing she didn't actually want to be just like Grey and that she can be strong without the violence. But idk, Grey would and did do everything for her sisters. And even with them abandoning her she would do it all over again, because it was the only way to save them. It feels different than a narcissist who requires you to be grateful and takes it out on you when you're not. She saved her sisters and will live her life alone if that's the consequence.
I am absolutely a sucker for sibling love / loyalty. I'll eat that shit up every time and this book was no different. Seeing the lengths that these sisters would go to to protect each other, even while arguing / disagreeing and at times not knowing if the others would do the same for them? Chef's kiss.
That being said, there were a few things I didn't like, in terms of characterization. To be honest though I think most of them are personal preference more than like ACTUAL problems with the story.
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Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Child death, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Minor: Body horror
eldane's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
I’m in shock. This was so beautiful, so decadent, so harrowing. It’s been a while since I’ve been impressed with a YA book. This does a fantastic job of building tension and solving mysteries until you’re dying (bad pun) to learn what’s going on. I also love how complicated the characters are, in that Grey is obviously not a good person, but she is an eldest sister trying to protect her little sisters. You can’t necessarily blame her for wanting to protect her family, but the fact that she killed innocent girls and stole their identities? Yucky. Bad. And she gets off with no consequences other than losing her family and boyfriend? Actually, maybe those are valid consequences for someone like her. Ugh. So juicy. And the symbolism was immaculate. The skin motif? I’m sobbing, crying, throwing up. And the fact that Iris’s love for Grey is all twisted and corrupted? And the Halfway and the in-betweenness? “A perpetual state of decay”? I’m not okay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Body horror
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Suicide, and Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual harassment
sylvestra's review
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Gun violence, and Body horror
bzliz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Big trigger warning for body horror.
Ten years ago, Iris and her two sisters went missing for a month. Now her eldest sister Grey is missing again and has left clues for Iris and Vivi to be able to find her- or her body- because something from their forgotten past is coming back to haunt them.
The only reason I can’t give this five stars is because of how easily I was able to predict the two major twists. The imagery was so beautiful and disgusting that I could really feel Iris’ fascination, obsession & revulsion. My favorite character ending up being Cate. Although she is a deeply flawed, haunted woman, I came to understand her controlling tendencies and her big heart. I’m not a mother but I believe only a mother could climb a mountain of trauma and still find love on the other side.
I spent several hours after I finished this book thinking about it and how I would rate and review it. It’s been a while since I needed to sit with something for a while to gather my thoughts, which is a point in its favor.
Ten years ago, Iris and her two sisters went missing for a month. Now her eldest sister Grey is missing again and has left clues for Iris and Vivi to be able to find her- or her body- because something from their forgotten past is coming back to haunt them.
The only reason I can’t give this five stars is because of how easily I was able to predict the two major twists. The imagery was so beautiful and disgusting that I could really feel Iris’ fascination, obsession & revulsion. My favorite character ending up being Cate. Although she is a deeply flawed, haunted woman, I came to understand her controlling tendencies and her big heart. I’m not a mother but I believe only a mother could climb a mountain of trauma and still find love on the other side.
I spent several hours after I finished this book thinking about it and how I would rate and review it. It’s been a while since I needed to sit with something for a while to gather my thoughts, which is a point in its favor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Vomit, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Eating disorder
I’ve tagged eating disorder as a potential content warning. Although the behavior is caused by a different condition, the Hollow sisters (get it?) do engage in binge eating behaviors. Their continued description of being thin in defiance of how many calories they must consume daily could be triggering for someone struggling with their own disordered eating.lujisa's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Child death, Murder, Blood, Kidnapping, and Body horror
Moderate: Gun violence
underhill's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Violence and Sexual assault
Minor: Misogyny
earofthedog's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Cursing, and Child death
klmreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent, Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Body horror, and Child abuse
Minor: Alcohol
wall0w's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
The more I read teen fiction, the more I feel that a key difference between it and adult fiction is just that it's edgier. Hoo boy, is this edgy. This is an edgy fairy tale (source fairy tales often are but y'know what I mean).
The plot twist (despite being increasingly hinted at and then effectively shown) was then told to a character directly which felt entirely unnecessary as it had already been made clear.
I do appreciate the bond between the sisters and elements of the parent/child relationship but I think it could have been more developed further.
The pacing felt good though and never felt like we were stagnating in the same place for too long, even though in parts the characters literally are.
Overall, it's alright. It is a fun read so if you like edgy fairytale retellings with strong family relationships, give it a shot. Just be prepared for blood and guts.
The plot twist (despite being increasingly hinted at and then effectively shown) was then told to a character directly which felt entirely unnecessary as it had already been made clear.
I do appreciate the bond between the sisters and elements of the parent/child relationship but I think it could have been more developed further.
The pacing felt good though and never felt like we were stagnating in the same place for too long, even though in parts the characters literally are.
Overall, it's alright. It is a fun read so if you like edgy fairytale retellings with strong family relationships, give it a shot. Just be prepared for blood and guts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Sexual assault, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Grief, Body horror, Death of parent, Stalking, Suicide, Child death, and Blood
pryingblackbird's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Child death, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Suicide