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andotherworlds's review against another edition
4.0
4-4.5 // This was stunning. I’m surprised by some of the mixed reviews because to me this was indisputably divine. I will say, the ending felt a bit rushed and it could have used some more development, but overall, this was so perfectly immersive and potent in its ability to bring readers into the very scene being laid out in the story. Bravo Emma Cline! I shall definitely be looking to read more of her books in the near future.
womanhollering's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Everyone loves Emma Cline but I have yet to enjoy one of her novels. I thought this was a tired take on the Manson family, if fictionalized. Slightly sapphic, slightly focused on the connections between the girls, but not enough to be interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
kiwi_zoe's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
mdxxviii's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
ashley_turch's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Child death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Drug use, Murder, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol and Eating disorder
Minor: Death of parent
sydmartens's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book, I didn't know much about '90s california and the manson family, but it was well told. Definitely makes your skin crawl a bit but I'm looking forward to reading more by Cline.
lyakimov's review against another edition
2.0
I'm disturbed. I will never forgive this book for the emotional trauma it gave me.
luxxautumn98's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kivt's review against another edition
2.0
Really bad.
I picked this up because I read a review that raved about how well Cline encapsulates the experience of being a teenage girl, and the obsessive intensities of their friendships. She certainly did that. I generally avoid serial killer or cult books because they're often deeply misogynist, so I appreciated that Cline wrote a story about girlhood that eclipsed its cult murder setting. Russell is almost incidental to the story, nowhere near as important or compelling to the protagonist or to readers as Suzanne and the other women.
There are some worthwhile thematic things happening here, but it's mostly just dreary and almost impossibly poorly written. One of every three sentences is so painfully overworked that the book is nearly unreadable. The interludes with Evie as an adult are particularly painful.
I picked this up because I read a review that raved about how well Cline encapsulates the experience of being a teenage girl, and the obsessive intensities of their friendships. She certainly did that. I generally avoid serial killer or cult books because they're often deeply misogynist, so I appreciated that Cline wrote a story about girlhood that eclipsed its cult murder setting. Russell is almost incidental to the story, nowhere near as important or compelling to the protagonist or to readers as Suzanne and the other women.
There are some worthwhile thematic things happening here, but it's mostly just dreary and almost impossibly poorly written. One of every three sentences is so painfully overworked that the book is nearly unreadable. The interludes with Evie as an adult are particularly painful.