Scan barcode
literaryleftie's review against another edition
4.0
This book started off really good but then it lost me with about a quarter of the book left. The ending felt too rushed for me, very forced.
husbutch's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
kaelaceleste's review against another edition
4.0
hmm...what to say....I liked this both less and more than I expected to. I know that doesn't make sense. I will try to explain.
This is a magical realism/horror novel about three sisters investigating their past and the secrets it contains. It's got some fun twists and reveals and is very moody and atmospheric, perfect for the season. Also one of the best covers I've ever seen, this is gorgeous and perfectly captures the mood/vibe of the book.
Starting with the stuff I liked this less than expected. This is a me problem! As always, and I need to stop doing this - I was burned by reading reviews. This is my own fault! I'm getting so tired of people calling something the CRAZIEST, WACKIEST, MOST DISTURBING, JAW DROPPING, CREEPY, TERRIFYING BOOK EVER WRITTEN and it's like. barely scary lmao I think I clearly must have a tolerance built up because I read and watch a LOT of horror, it's my favorite genre. I think my expectations were perhaps a bit too high on the horror front. I would call this unsettling, eerie, dark, maybe even gothic horror, but I would not call it scary, shocking, gory or many of the other words I've seen in reviews. Idk. Again this is a me problem. When will I learn to stop believing the sensationalized reviews for horror novels.
I also found parts of the story hard to follow, with chunks of unnecessary detail thrown in at times. I'm willing to forgive this because I did like most of it and where we ended up.
Now that that's out of the way, here's the good stuff.
I liked this a lot more than I expected because I expected this to be a YA. It sort of is, but definitely reads more toward the A side of that. The writing was really lovely - what's the word for it? It was flowery without being stuffy or condescending, which I feel happens too often when authors are trying to be Very Deep and show off. This was an easy read, but didn't feel juvenile.
I absolutely loved the vibes of this book. This was perfect to read in October. It's spooky and moody and everything you love about fall. It feels like the perfect book to read with a cozy blanket and a candle lit while rain hits the window. Just lovely. I also loved the characters and representation in here. Something about having queer characters in a novel that is not a romance really scratches a specific itch in my brain, so that was nice to see. I thought Iris was probably the least interesting of the three sisters but I understand why she was the MC.
I'm not always a huge magical realism fan, because I think too often the author will be afraid to commit to the bit, if you will - they'll half-ass the magical part of magical realism and it feels sort of lazy. But I really liked it in this. It truly felt like this could happen in the real world and these were normal people (but everything is not as it seems...!)
I did sort of see parts of the Big Reveal coming but only because when you read enough of this type of thing you start to guess stuff easily. I liked where the story went and ultimately how it ended, and I really liked the epilogue.
So yeah. 3.5-4ish. I liked!
This is a magical realism/horror novel about three sisters investigating their past and the secrets it contains. It's got some fun twists and reveals and is very moody and atmospheric, perfect for the season. Also one of the best covers I've ever seen, this is gorgeous and perfectly captures the mood/vibe of the book.
Starting with the stuff I liked this less than expected. This is a me problem! As always, and I need to stop doing this - I was burned by reading reviews. This is my own fault! I'm getting so tired of people calling something the CRAZIEST, WACKIEST, MOST DISTURBING, JAW DROPPING, CREEPY, TERRIFYING BOOK EVER WRITTEN and it's like. barely scary lmao I think I clearly must have a tolerance built up because I read and watch a LOT of horror, it's my favorite genre. I think my expectations were perhaps a bit too high on the horror front. I would call this unsettling, eerie, dark, maybe even gothic horror, but I would not call it scary, shocking, gory or many of the other words I've seen in reviews. Idk. Again this is a me problem. When will I learn to stop believing the sensationalized reviews for horror novels.
I also found parts of the story hard to follow, with chunks of unnecessary detail thrown in at times. I'm willing to forgive this because I did like most of it and where we ended up.
Now that that's out of the way, here's the good stuff.
I liked this a lot more than I expected because I expected this to be a YA. It sort of is, but definitely reads more toward the A side of that. The writing was really lovely - what's the word for it? It was flowery without being stuffy or condescending, which I feel happens too often when authors are trying to be Very Deep and show off. This was an easy read, but didn't feel juvenile.
I absolutely loved the vibes of this book. This was perfect to read in October. It's spooky and moody and everything you love about fall. It feels like the perfect book to read with a cozy blanket and a candle lit while rain hits the window. Just lovely. I also loved the characters and representation in here. Something about having queer characters in a novel that is not a romance really scratches a specific itch in my brain, so that was nice to see. I thought Iris was probably the least interesting of the three sisters but I understand why she was the MC.
I'm not always a huge magical realism fan, because I think too often the author will be afraid to commit to the bit, if you will - they'll half-ass the magical part of magical realism and it feels sort of lazy. But I really liked it in this. It truly felt like this could happen in the real world and these were normal people (but everything is not as it seems...!)
I did sort of see parts of the Big Reveal coming but only because when you read enough of this type of thing you start to guess stuff easily. I liked where the story went and ultimately how it ended, and I really liked the epilogue.
So yeah. 3.5-4ish. I liked!
bugsrcool49's review against another edition
3.0
i really liked the first half of this book and then it got kind of confusing and wasn’t that interesting
marieke17's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
flissrobyn's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
sugar_book_fairy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
literielle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
this has to be the most beautifully written horror novel that made me gag and cry at the same time. as a reader, a visual one, i get extremely attached to the characters and i think this book is no exception and i find the characters to be so haunting and bittersweet.
first, the writing was on point that i felt like i was reading a poem and a disgusting one that could make me gag at the written stench of the halfway, but i felt my heart ache for the characters - iris, vivi, tyler, cate, and gabe. is it so bad that i cried over them? i really did and i had to put the book down for a few minutes because my throat throbbed from mourning.
second, the plot itself was unique and horrifying but beautiful, like a perfect a24 movie that would linger for a few months in the back of your mind and you're still full of questions of why? where? how? but the book only provided the answers of: it is what it is, not everything will be given and you just have to deal with the fact that it happened.
this book is painful and bittersweet but all too beautiful as well, where i was so anxious and on the edge of my seat because the mystery and the horror was definitely top tier. there is nothing more haunting than beauty.
would i recommend this? i will and i have! i will not stop raving about this book because it deserves every positive review and i would love to watch an a24 production of this ever turns into a film!
first, the writing was on point that i felt like i was reading a poem and a disgusting one that could make me gag at the written stench of the halfway, but i felt my heart ache for the characters - iris, vivi, tyler, cate, and gabe. is it so bad that i cried over them? i really did and i had to put the book down for a few minutes because my throat throbbed from mourning.
second, the plot itself was unique and horrifying but beautiful, like a perfect a24 movie that would linger for a few months in the back of your mind and you're still full of questions of why? where? how? but the book only provided the answers of: it is what it is, not everything will be given and you just have to deal with the fact that it happened.
this book is painful and bittersweet but all too beautiful as well, where i was so anxious and on the edge of my seat because the mystery and the horror was definitely top tier. there is nothing more haunting than beauty.
would i recommend this? i will and i have! i will not stop raving about this book because it deserves every positive review and i would love to watch an a24 production of this ever turns into a film!