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marshwillow's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
celina246'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility
onelittlearchive'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? No
4.0
You begin this story along side Mattie, a timid young woman crushed under the thumb of an abusive husband. Her world is isolated, just a small cabin in the frozen woods. All she knows is the small circumference around her home as her husband never lets her go too far. It's all she knows and all she remembers. It starts small, just an animal she found dead in the woods in a manner most unusual. Mattie had always thought her husband William was the worst thing in the woods but soon you learn he's not the only monster lurking around.
I really enjoyed the tension in the book and the way it all tumbles like a snowball rolling down a hill. The author really grabs hold of you and doesn't let you go until the very end, you're on the ride whether you want to be or not. I also enjoyed the look at what makes a monster and what is more horrifying - the monster you know or the monster you don't?
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual assault
thaisfood'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
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, and Vomit
krix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape
catmomma's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
dcnireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
i usually dont do well with books that have less but beefy chapters, but ooh boy this was journey and i have to say i was invested almost right from the beginning. meeting mattie and being horrified by her current state to getting skin crawls as her real background slowly unfolds? chills. the back and forth "dialogue" and way of thinking as she switches between mattie and samantha's separate ways of thinking and seeing how both sides dealt with their situation internally? honestly excellent.
watching sam suffer through william's abuse and seeing her come to terms with what she lost because of him and how he affected her in many ways--especially after she escaped him--was heartbreaking. but at the same time, i admired how she refused to let the damage that he'd done dictate her fate and her future, and that no matter what he did to break her, sam was still there deep down, and she never lost her spirit. from beggining to end, she was a true fighter and it paid off for her in a satsifying way and that's what i'm fucking here for. plus, i loved the contrast of how sam dealt with trauma, danger and pain in a way that C.P. and the others couldn't, and how she was able to use her experiences and endurance for things like that to help them survive. it was a good way to show the definition of "pain makes you stronger" and i actually liked that.
i also liked the twist of there being two monsters who were actually parent and child, and how that explained why the mother only attacked the weakest and most vulnerable out of desire to protect its offspring. that was pretty clever. i do wish the "sorting" and "warning" behaviors of the cryptids were given more elaboration, and i think the last moment with them was a bit anti-climactic, but i have no other complaints. it was scary, imposing, unique and overall a pretty great creature feature.
i definitely got hooked on this one a bit more than i expected. the atmosphere was so eerie and intense, and every moment of danger [whether with william or the monsters] was quite thrilling and harrowing at the same time, to a point where i don't even mind that the final confrontation was kinda underwhelming. i'm just glad sam and C.P. made it out alive, and it felt cathartic that sam ended up being the one to end william's nasty ass. that along with the final paragraph and line of the book is enough to make this one is a strong 4.25 stars.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Death of parent
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
aside from that, this had some good aspects and some bad aspects. i think the underlying abuse
the paranormal portions didn’t really work despite them being a surprise
overall, i’m mad at Libby and don’t think this was done very well. take that as you will.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
shanmcg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Injury/Injury detail
moxiereads'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
3.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail