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voidboi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.75
When this book was announced, I felt some disappointment that one of my favorite YA authors was moving into a genre that I wasn't particularly interested in, and I never got around to reading it. In retrospect, I'm glad that I didn't, because now I was able to read it with a fairly newfound appreciation for horror and slashers. This book is suspenseful and gory, but it still has qualities of Stephanie Perkins' work that I have always loved- Makani is real, relatable, flawed, and self-aware just as the author's heroines always are (which I found particularly refreshing and comforting as a teenager, because I always knew she took her readers seriously), but she's distinctly her own self. The honesty in how the romance is approached, by the characters and in the writing, feels particularly strong for the genre, again in line with Stephanie's track record. I didn't feel quite the same "swept off my feet" emotions as I did with Anna, Lola, and Isla, probably because it was replaced by apprehension and paranoia- I couldn't quite trust anything for the majority of the book. That said, I think the relationship was developed incredibly well, and I was utterly engrossed.
I do have a few complaints. I felt that Darby and Alex were underdeveloped and somewhat cartoon-y, and I wish they'd gotten past that before the end. I also thought that the reveal of Makani's past was a bit anti-climactic. Reading about what she'd been put through was horrific (though a bit weirdly formatted), but in the end what she actually did just paled in comparison to to actual bad things in her past and present, and it seemed unrealistic that the response would have been so world-ending for her. Honestly, if Jasmine had actually died I think it would have hit home, and created a stronger conflict between victimhood and guilt. And the end of the book felt very abrupt. It needed either a little less or a little more resolution.
This was a great spooky season read, and I'm so glad Steph Perkins was able to write this. Her voice is perfect for the messy and dark parts of adolescence.
I do have a few complaints. I felt that Darby and Alex were underdeveloped and somewhat cartoon-y, and I wish they'd gotten past that before the end. I also thought that the reveal of Makani's past was a bit anti-climactic. Reading about what she'd been put through was horrific (though a bit weirdly formatted), but in the end what she actually did just paled in comparison to to actual bad things in her past and present, and it seemed unrealistic that the response would have been so world-ending for her.
This was a great spooky season read, and I'm so glad Steph Perkins was able to write this. Her voice is perfect for the messy and dark parts of adolescence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Drug use, and Physical abuse
amandalorianxo's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
While I liked the diversity and initially the beginning of the novel- I got bored once the climax happened & they found who the killer was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
sarah984's review against another edition
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This book felt really amateurishly written, lots of telling us about people without showing anything (I already forget almost every character because you're just fed a paragraph of info about them and then they all act the same way) and tortured metaphors. The killer’s motivation is genuinely ridiculous, as is Makani’s "dark secret" and her romance with Ollie.
A few of the scares involving things being moved around in the houses were creepy, but overall this felt like it was trying to be a slasher and a romance and failing at both.
A few of the scares involving things being moved around in the houses were creepy, but overall this felt like it was trying to be a slasher and a romance and failing at both.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Stalking, and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Vomit, Torture, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Racism, and Transphobia
There is a detailed scene involving hazing.
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