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reedcodes's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death, Self harm, Murder, Grief, Alcohol, and Infidelity
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Cursing
Minor: Cancer, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Child death, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, and Pedophilia
esme_may's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Self harm, Gun violence, Murder, Blood, Infidelity, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Body horror, Torture, Suicide, Bullying, Cursing, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abortion, War, Car accident, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Medical content
kenziburke's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Cursing
micaelamariem's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Violence, Death, Sexism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Bullying, Child abuse, Abandonment, Cancer, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Blood, Car accident, and Murder
casber's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Self harm, Infidelity, Cursing, Gun violence, Death, Alcohol, Child death, Eating disorder, and Body horror
Moderate: Suicide, Drug use, Abandonment, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death and Abortion
cheezh8er's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.5
Graphic: Infidelity, Body shaming, Bullying, Self harm, Suicide, Child abuse, Alcohol, Cursing, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Torture, Sexism, Grief, Death, and Drug abuse
Minor: Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, and Gun violence
thatswhatshanread's review
- 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
3.0
1. From BOTM’s description and the book’s general marketing, I fully expected this to be a horror/thriller. It was not. It was more just a family drama with a supernatural sort-of twist with half of the book’s POV set in literal Hell.
2. Every time I picked this book up to read it over the last several months, I was bored. The first half of the book seems like it’s going NOWHERE and nothing stuck. The storyline that follows Peyote in Hell seems completely irrelevant to the storyline in present day that follows The Harrison family.
3. But then, it finally picks up. Once I finally pushed myself to get more into it (after almost DNFing many times), something shifted. The stakes changed. Suddenly the Harrison family story is dysfunctional and mysterious and gripping. The Peyote storyline shows potential of intersecting with the other, some interesting twists come about.
4. Still, it’s confusing. I still have no idea how they will connect, just that now Peyote is actually referencing the Harrison family members and their dilemmas.
5. Peyote and Cal’s plot becomes even more confusing and drawn out. But I’m very intrigued with the POVs from the Harrisons’ side.
6. I finish the last 250 pages within a couple days. The pacing finally hit a sweet spot for me. The imminent ending seemed promising; everything would finally make sense.
7. Except… it wasn’t? And it didn’t?
This really felt like two different books in one. In the end, I was still confused, and disappointed in all of that buildup to… what, exactly? I would have rather read about only The Harrisons. But I guess it was entertaining, nonetheless. Something different. Just maybe not the different I wanted it to be.
Graphic: War, Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Confinement, Body shaming, Genocide, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Cancer, Child death, Pedophilia, Sexism, and Stalking
aformeracceleratedreader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
I liked following the inhabitants of hell in the form of office workers and learning how to make it through/climb the ladder through hell. The human side of the story was interesting at some parts but not my favorite perspective/parts of the book. I preferred following the Pey and Cal side much more than the Harrison's side of the story.
The ending was a bit of a letdown for me though. It wasn't a bad ending per se, but it just wasn't super fulfilling to me.
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Self harm, Abandonment, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
maggieparedesauthor's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Blood, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Murder, Pregnancy, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Addiction, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, and Drug use
jaylee_books's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Violence, Body horror, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, and Blood