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jessiejonesbentley's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Stalking, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, Bullying, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Violence, and Toxic relationship
brookey8888's review
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
I just wanted more from this.
It honestly was not even scary or really that creepy. The plot was fine, but I wanted a little more of the serial killer aspect and with a certain person( if you know you know). The ending of this was honestly so ridiculous and didn’t even make that much sense, but it was different. Overall this was fine and kept me entertained , but nothing special and nothing I’ll ever think about again to be honest.
It honestly was not even scary or really that creepy. The plot was fine, but I wanted a little more of the serial killer aspect and with a certain person( if you know you know). The ending of this was honestly so ridiculous and didn’t even make that much sense, but it was different. Overall this was fine and kept me entertained , but nothing special and nothing I’ll ever think about again to be honest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Grief, Mental illness, Torture, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, and Kidnapping
madelinequinne's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’ve been in a reading slump for the past two months, but this book pulled me out of it and i’m very grateful for that.
This was so interesting, i’ve never read anything like it before. You go into the book expecting your usual true crime serial killer novel, but i was pleasantly surprised by how emotional and reflective this story was. The conversations about family, growing up, mummy issues and what drives someone to do bad things was so well written and explored, and i was absolutely gripped the entire time.
I think this book would make an excellent horror movie, i could picture each scene in my head so vividly which is a great example of how descriptive the writing was.
Highly highly recommend
This was so interesting, i’ve never read anything like it before. You go into the book expecting your usual true crime serial killer novel, but i was pleasantly surprised by how emotional and reflective this story was. The conversations about family, growing up, mummy issues and what drives someone to do bad things was so well written and explored, and i was absolutely gripped the entire time.
I think this book would make an excellent horror movie, i could picture each scene in my head so vividly which is a great example of how descriptive the writing was.
Highly highly recommend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Torture, Death, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death of parent, Gore, and Violence
freadman666's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Death, Gore, Murder, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Confinement
ohhthehorrors's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gaslighting, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder
mayajade1701's review
dark
tense
medium-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
I have loved the other two books by Sarah Gailey that I have read - Magic for Liars & Echo Wife.
I love how she mixes the supernatural into her writing without being directly horror or sci-fi.
However I would classify this book as Horror. It was much darker than I imagined - and frankly at times difficult for me to even read.
I like the message the author put at the beginning and the end of the book particularly - and I think I just wanted to like the story a lot more than I did.
I didn't particularly LIKE the main character Vera - and I think maybe some of the story dragged on too long for me. There is so much leading up to the last few chapters that is pretty slow - I think it could have been edited down a bit. Because when the action / plot is moving it is very engaging.
I love/hate the trope this book used of switching between present and past JUST as something was getting interesting or about to be revealed - but I do know that it is effective and it did keep me reading.
While the ending was slightly predictable it felt a bit rushed and there were some elements that didn't quite make sense to me still.
I definitely resonated more with the author's afterword / acknowledgments than with the last chapter. In fact I usually take photos of quotes that resonate with me and the only pictures I have of this book are the first page into and that last page. And this quote, which really struck me as I ready it while flying back from a visit to my home town which is much the same as Vera describes hers.
"The town of Marion had changed in the way that all things change, but it was the same town that Vera had left behind so many years before. Main Street was long and straight and featured a combination of small businesses and doomed franchises. When Vera was young, there franchises had been geared toward paint-your-own porcelain and Tex-Mex cuisine. Now they were cupcake shops and places where middle aged women could drink too sweet wine while they all tried to reproduce the same painting. the specifics had shifted, but the feel of the place was the same. "
I love how she mixes the supernatural into her writing without being directly horror or sci-fi.
However I would classify this book as Horror. It was much darker than I imagined - and frankly at times difficult for me to even read.
I like the message the author put at the beginning and the end of the book particularly - and I think I just wanted to like the story a lot more than I did.
I didn't particularly LIKE the main character Vera - and I think maybe some of the story dragged on too long for me. There is so much leading up to the last few chapters that is pretty slow - I think it could have been edited down a bit. Because when the action / plot is moving it is very engaging.
I love/hate the trope this book used of switching between present and past JUST as something was getting interesting or about to be revealed - but I do know that it is effective and it did keep me reading.
While the ending was slightly predictable it felt a bit rushed and there were some elements that didn't quite make sense to me still.
I definitely resonated more with the author's afterword / acknowledgments than with the last chapter. In fact I usually take photos of quotes that resonate with me and the only pictures I have of this book are the first page into and that last page. And this quote, which really struck me as I ready it while flying back from a visit to my home town which is much the same as Vera describes hers.
"The town of Marion had changed in the way that all things change, but it was the same town that Vera had left behind so many years before. Main Street was long and straight and featured a combination of small businesses and doomed franchises. When Vera was young, there franchises had been geared toward paint-your-own porcelain and Tex-Mex cuisine. Now they were cupcake shops and places where middle aged women could drink too sweet wine while they all tried to reproduce the same painting. the specifics had shifted, but the feel of the place was the same. "
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gore
thisiscourt's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Gore
birbmcbirb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The queer urge to have your darkest side seen, and still be embraced.
The ending of this book was amazing, and the slow burn in the beginning makes sense in hindsight, but I agree with other readers who struggled through the first part. The growing tension is subtle, in the same way it often is in an abusive home where the abuse is long stretches of neglect between blow ups. That ending though will almost definitely make this a book I revist from time to time. A love letter for everyone who grew up with the darkness as their only friend.
The ending of this book was amazing, and the slow burn in the beginning makes sense in hindsight, but I agree with other readers who struggled through the first part. The growing tension is subtle, in the same way it often is in an abusive home where the abuse is long stretches of neglect between blow ups. That ending though will almost definitely make this a book I revist from time to time. A love letter for everyone who grew up with the darkness as their only friend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Excrement, Violence, and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual assault
booksandteatime's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Violence, and Vomit
mitziibee's review
dark
mysterious
tense
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
3.75
There were a few repeat paragraphs that made me feel as though I was reading the same page over a million times. But overall, this book is a fun read. It is a slow start with flashes to the back.
Gradually everything collides and the picture is complete.
We all deserve love and we all deserve a home who loves us too.
Gradually everything collides and the picture is complete.
We all deserve love and we all deserve a home who loves us too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Toxic relationship, and Violence