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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
margaret721's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Body horror, Violence, Child death, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Gun violence, Self harm, Torture, and Death
Moderate: Suicide, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Blood, and Trafficking
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
ggreen1379's review
3.5
Graphic: Death and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Suicide, Self harm, Infidelity, Cancer, Blood, Abandonment, Gun violence, Grief, and Child death
Minor: Terminal illness and Pedophilia
tiffanne11's review
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, Murder, Infidelity, Alcohol, Torture, Drug use, and Death
Minor: Self harm, Child death, Death, Drug use, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Cancer, Child abuse, Gore, Pregnancy, Suicide, Vomit, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, and Mental illness
savvyrosereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Peyote Trip works in hell—literally—and he’s one sold soul away from a “Complete Set” and the rewards that will come with it. But when he meets newly assigned Calamity Ganon, all his carefully laid plans begin to go awry.
I had high hopes for this one, and it absolutely delivered. I was immediately obsessed with the writing style, which is equal parts hilarious and poignant, and the concept is brilliant—disturbing, fascinating, and nuanced in all the best ways.
I actually did not expect the plot to include an element of murder mystery, but given that those are my favorite books to read I was thrilled that it did. The characters and plot were incredibly well developed, and I was honestly sad to finish the book because I didn’t want to leave the world that Lux developed…a particularly weird thing to say when that “world” is literally hell, but there you have it.
In short—I need everyone to read this book, immediately.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: dark humor; moral greyness; mysteries with a unique frame
CW: Torture/gore; death; child abuse; infidelity; self-harm.
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Torture, Violence, and Infidelity
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness