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At 3/4 the way through I guessed the ending and probably would have DNF’d if I hadn’t been curious enough to see if I was right. I was, for the record, but it was so anticlimactic that being right wasn’t even satisfying. I wish I’d read something else instead.
To me, this reads as more of a domestic thriller (that just happened to be in a school) than it does dark academia (I know opinions on what this actually entails vary). The plot was familiar in that I basically read the same thing earlier this year and Lee didn’t add anything to it that made it feel new or worthwhile.
I wish Lee had leaned into the Supernatural aspect more because the story of the witches and the mystery surrounding their murders would have been a far more interesting than what we actually get.
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Sexual content
I struggled to put this book down, it truly is a masterpiece for the mind. Disturbing and luscious all at once. A story within a story that unfolds not like a flower but like broken origami, sharp and crisp.
If you love psychological thrillers dashed with a hint of supernatural in a dark academic setting - then this could be for you!
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcohol
“The question isn't whether magic is real. It's whether I can touch it without being consumed by it.”
This book was alright. The dark academia vibes were spooky and fun. The fact that there was absolutely zero characters that were men was delightful. I didn't fully realize until the very end but every character either identifies as a woman or nonbinary. Loved that representation! I also really liked when the writing got a little meta. However, I found it slightly annoying when the author said something to the extent of "she touched me and I felt a tingle go down my spine" for the 50th time. Like find a new description, please. But ultimately, the atmosphere was this book's saving grace, for sure. The writing and plot weren't terrible. I found different parts intriguing but the first two-thirds or so were kind of slow. It really picked up in the last third but by then I had predicted a major plot twist so when it happened, it didn't impact me the way I expect it was meant to. If YA thrillers and dark academia are your jam, you'd probably enjoy this more than I did.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, Abandonment, Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Alcohol
Graphic: Violence, Murder
I will say though while there was a good diversity of sexuality’s and gender expression the solely black character that was included was only used as an interpretation of the “wrongness” of the academy to use a woman of color to their benefit, while basically using this said woman of color to heighten a white woman’s experience. They glanced over important topics of the civil rights movement and barely explored Leonie except to say she was a black woman. I definitely think Lee could’ve used her for more than that not just further a white woman’s experience with racism and it’s history.
Nevertheless, my perception of the novel is one that is eerily creepy yet beautifully haunting and will love reading this again and again and recommending to my friends to see their reactions.
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death, Drug use
Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, Murder
However, there were a couple of random things that confused me (such as Felicity mentioning that she never knew her grandparents when a couple of chapters before she was reminiscing fondly of her grandmother, but maybe that was an error on my part); and some of the book just wasn't to my taste, but, overall, it was an interesting and fun read.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief
Minor: Eating disorder, Racism, Transphobia