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bear_reads_books's review
3.0
Cherish Farrah is pretty dark and delivers on the tension. But the synopsis had me thinking I'd be reading a story with a different feel from what I actually experienced. I don't even mind how slow it was like so many others seem to. What I got from it overall is 'meh' and 'messy'. It's more like a 2.5 star rating for me. I did like it but...
I will say the story is unique and could've been great. But being in Farrah's head became so tedious and frustrating. I don't know if another point of view would've helped. Maybe if Farrah had a little more going on in the personality department. I get that she has issues, that is very clear. But she sees everyone's words and facial expressions as moves in a game everyone is playing with her and changes her opinions accordingly and that got old fast.
I'm left with lots of questions, wondering if most of what happened was even necessary to the plot. Also, no one acts in a realistic way. Suspend disbelief and maybe it would be really good? Maybe I'm just not the right person for this story. I do appreciate what Cherish Farrah is trying to say, just not how the story was executed overall.
Thank you Dutton Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
I will say the story is unique and could've been great. But being in Farrah's head became so tedious and frustrating. I don't know if another point of view would've helped. Maybe if Farrah had a little more going on in the personality department. I get that she has issues, that is very clear. But she sees everyone's words and facial expressions as moves in a game everyone is playing with her and changes her opinions accordingly and that got old fast.
I'm left with lots of questions, wondering if most of what happened was even necessary to the plot. Also, no one acts in a realistic way. Suspend disbelief and maybe it would be really good? Maybe I'm just not the right person for this story. I do appreciate what Cherish Farrah is trying to say, just not how the story was executed overall.
Thank you Dutton Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
labunnywtf's review
4.0
AM I EVEN CAPABLE OF WRITING A REVIEW OF THIS MIND FUCK OF A NOVEL?
Honestly, I shouldn't be writing this review right now, as I literally just set the phone down to open Goodreads and my brain is screaming.
I just.
They just.
Bethany C Morrow just.
Okay, let me. Just.
This is social horror. An entire new strain of genre I didn't know existed and absolutely want more of. The comparisons to Get Out are rampant, and appropriate. Knowing the comparisons, you feel like you kind of know where this is going, but the roller coaster constantly on the verge of derailing it takes to get there is an absolute shot of adrenaline straight to your brain.
I requested this from Netgalley, then ENTIRELY forgot what the book was about. So I went in basically empty handed, and didn't understand what I was getting into until the INTENSE manipulation began. Then I came to Goodreads find out what the hell I'd gotten myself into.
I cannot summarize, I cannot blurb. I can only give big flourish-y Vanna hands and say, "Just go. Just...go read it."
Though, to be fair, the twist is absolutely given away far too early, but honestly, it's okay. It still works. A LOT.
Honestly, I shouldn't be writing this review right now, as I literally just set the phone down to open Goodreads and my brain is screaming.
I just.
They just.
Bethany C Morrow just.
Okay, let me. Just.
This is social horror. An entire new strain of genre I didn't know existed and absolutely want more of. The comparisons to Get Out are rampant, and appropriate. Knowing the comparisons, you feel like you kind of know where this is going, but the roller coaster constantly on the verge of derailing it takes to get there is an absolute shot of adrenaline straight to your brain.
I requested this from Netgalley, then ENTIRELY forgot what the book was about. So I went in basically empty handed, and didn't understand what I was getting into until the INTENSE manipulation began. Then I came to Goodreads find out what the hell I'd gotten myself into.
I cannot summarize, I cannot blurb. I can only give big flourish-y Vanna hands and say, "Just go. Just...go read it."
Though, to be fair, the twist is absolutely given away far too early, but honestly, it's okay. It still works. A LOT.
whatthekatdraggedin's review
dark
mysterious
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Child abuse, Racism, Blood, Classism, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
leasockzoe's review
2.0
Cherish Whitman & Farrah Turner are meant to be together. They are the only two Black girls in their uppity country club community & have been inseparable since childhood. Farrah, however, knows a different life of Blackness versus the one Cherish has experienced. Farrah was raised by Black parents while Cherish was adopted by a well-to-do white couple - deeming her as "white girl spoiled" (the ability to navigate the world with the opportunities of a white girl & the skin of Black girl) in the eyes of Farrah. Because of this, Farrah sees Cherish as someone to protect & keep.
But, when Farrah's mom is laid off from her high-salary job she is thrust out of her childhood home and life of in-ground pools & worldly vacations into the arms of the Whitmans, her white saviors with a Black daughter. However, calculating Farrah is determined to regain control & punish her parents for ripping away the life she has always known by staying with the one person she has always loved - Cherish Whitman. As Farrah begins slithering her way deeper into the lives of the Whitmans, her own parents are worried something more sinister is at play within the family's seemingly perfect home.
This book was frustrating, because the premise is so good & I have heard such good things about Morrow's work. However, this one was just meh for me. Because of this, I want to start off with the aspects of the book that I enjoyed & thought were successful. First, the commentary on race & class in America was A+. The book did a good job of showing the corruption of the legal system towards Black Americans & how people with money are often exempt from consequences. I also found the discussion around white people raising Black children to be particularly poignant & interesting. Additionally, I thought the writing was very atmospheric & Morrow did a good job of setting a very ominous tone throughout the story. I also zoomed through this book, when I actually had the urge to read it.
Now, for the not so good stuff. A huge part of this book, as I mentioned in the synopsis, is about Farrah regaining control. Although I thought this was an important aspect in making the novel work, I found it beyond redundant after a while. I was reminded every other page that "control" was Farrah's end-game. This is honestly how I felt about a lot of the writing of the story, it was redundant. There were times when I was reading and I thought "did I just read the same page again?" Evidently, I did not, but aspects of the story were mentioned again and again making it unnecessary. I also did not understand what was going on the last 1/4 of the book, but maybe that's just me. I didn't understand her visions of fire & I also didn't understand her mother's role in the whole thing. Why was she just as manipulative as Farrah if nothing ever became of it? Was it just to show that someone knew her true character? Was her mother really at the pool scene in the end?
Although I thought this book had important commentary as well as major potential, it just didn't work for me like I wish it did. I picked the book up & put it back down multiple times. I haven't spent this much time on a book this size in a while. Ultimately, I'm glad I finished it but I just wish the writing was edited a few more times.
But, when Farrah's mom is laid off from her high-salary job she is thrust out of her childhood home and life of in-ground pools & worldly vacations into the arms of the Whitmans, her white saviors with a Black daughter. However, calculating Farrah is determined to regain control & punish her parents for ripping away the life she has always known by staying with the one person she has always loved - Cherish Whitman. As Farrah begins slithering her way deeper into the lives of the Whitmans, her own parents are worried something more sinister is at play within the family's seemingly perfect home.
This book was frustrating, because the premise is so good & I have heard such good things about Morrow's work. However, this one was just meh for me. Because of this, I want to start off with the aspects of the book that I enjoyed & thought were successful. First, the commentary on race & class in America was A+. The book did a good job of showing the corruption of the legal system towards Black Americans & how people with money are often exempt from consequences. I also found the discussion around white people raising Black children to be particularly poignant & interesting. Additionally, I thought the writing was very atmospheric & Morrow did a good job of setting a very ominous tone throughout the story. I also zoomed through this book, when I actually had the urge to read it.
Now, for the not so good stuff. A huge part of this book, as I mentioned in the synopsis, is about Farrah regaining control. Although I thought this was an important aspect in making the novel work, I found it beyond redundant after a while. I was reminded every other page that "control" was Farrah's end-game. This is honestly how I felt about a lot of the writing of the story, it was redundant. There were times when I was reading and I thought "did I just read the same page again?" Evidently, I did not, but aspects of the story were mentioned again and again making it unnecessary. I also did not understand what was going on the last 1/4 of the book, but maybe that's just me. I didn't understand her visions of fire & I also didn't understand her mother's role in the whole thing. Why was she just as manipulative as Farrah if nothing ever became of it? Was it just to show that someone knew her true character? Was her mother really at the pool scene in the end?
Although I thought this book had important commentary as well as major potential, it just didn't work for me like I wish it did. I picked the book up & put it back down multiple times. I haven't spent this much time on a book this size in a while. Ultimately, I'm glad I finished it but I just wish the writing was edited a few more times.
briacelest's review
4.0
The last 100 pages of this book had me gagged. It was a successful social horror and I found the main character equally intriguing and twisted. I definitely left with many questions but in a ‘I would love to discuss’ this way.
theboldbookworm's review
4.0
3.5 rounded up for Goodreads
Cherish and Farrah are the only Black girls in their neighborhood and they are best friends who are more like sisters. Farrah is staying with Cherish and her family, but she's starting to act odd.
This book really kept me guessing about Farrah's behavior and why she acted the way she did, but I was also suspicious of other characters at different points in the book. I definitely did not see where the story was going and the reveal definitely surprised me. I wish there had been a bit more explanation to some of the events. I haven't read the book that's mentioned in the book so maybe that would've added an extra layer. I loved the ending of this one! I would put this more on the thriller side than horror.
I recommend this if you like unsettling books with social commentary.
Cherish and Farrah are the only Black girls in their neighborhood and they are best friends who are more like sisters. Farrah is staying with Cherish and her family, but she's starting to act odd.
This book really kept me guessing about Farrah's behavior and why she acted the way she did, but I was also suspicious of other characters at different points in the book. I definitely did not see where the story was going and the reveal definitely surprised me. I wish there had been a bit more explanation to some of the events. I haven't read the book that's mentioned in the book so maybe that would've added an extra layer. I loved the ending of this one! I would put this more on the thriller side than horror.
I recommend this if you like unsettling books with social commentary.
materialambition's review against another edition
don’t know how this could be classified as a thriller … the narrator is paranoid and delusional and playing a game no one else seems to be playing
grey_skiess's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
riveting_reads's review
2.0
Thank you Penguin Group Dutton, Bethany C. Morrow, and NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review. I do want to say that the cover is stunning and immediately caught my eye. Unfortunately this book did not work for me. My favorite part of it was the social commentary but the writing style was not something I enjoyed and I found it extremely vague (I know this was intentional) and hard to read. The only reason I kept reading to the end was because I was provided an arc and wanted to see if there was a big twist at the end! The big twist unfortunately wasn't worth reading this book for. I think if someone really enjoys social horror novels and is not bothered by extremely vague and slow burn horror, this would be for them. The whole time it is clear that something very unsettling is happening and in movies I enjoy this but it must not work as well for me in book form.