Reviews

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

amandalyn's review

4.0

Once again, Mindy McGinnis does not mess around. Not for a single second. I feel like she can just so perfectly capture the absolutely screwed up things that teenage girls do to each other, and you feel it in your gut (at least if you’ve been a teenage girl) the whole way through the novel. Her stories are all so unique and this one did not disappoint. I loved the Poe parallels, though some of the Cat chapters were more confusing than anything. I would have given this five stars if some of them had been left out or a little more clear. This whole book was dark and gritty, some parts hard to read even, but It really hit something in me and I loved it. I don’t think there’s a book I won’t love by this author.

megrum22's review

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

daniwantsalibrary's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

smartinez9's review

4.0

Well, I just read this whole duology in one sitting, and it was worth it. The Poe references are both abundant and sometimes subtle, making this more of an encapsulation of the icky eerie wrong feeling his writing gives you then a strict retelling, making it a more sincere and effective homage. Truly unhinged.

cmdufresne's review

2.0

Things that did not work for me AT ALL:

1. Takes more time to get through than passes in the book because it's basically a million flashbacks.

2. Supposed to be a thriller, but is so slow and detailed there is nothing "thrilling" about it.

3 - 1000. Chapters from the POV of a poetic panther who can see ghosts, possibly time shift, and wants to kill everyone. (I seriously can't with the panther monologs.)

Things that I liked:

Well......it's a book..... so it has that going for it.....

lmbs's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.25

caszriel's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

The short review: so unhinged but I loved it. The long(er) review: I'm unfamiliar with the Edgar Allan Poe that this is inspired by (and don't want to look it up until I finish the duology) but this book drew me in instantly. Two convincing, contrasted characters (I'll admit I laughed at the first "Cat" perspective chapter, the audiobook narrator did a great job though) and underneath all the beautifully portrayed themes of a small town where your last name is what matters the most, a story of former best friends whose lives changed irrevocably after one fateful night.

wishfulfillment's review

4.0

bb gurl has to work on her endings because wtf
but otherwise I loved it as I love all of her works.

ghostlyprince's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Classism, Grief, Death of parent, Animal death, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, and Kidnapping

Minor: Physical abuse, Vomit, Bullying, and Infidelity

tasha131's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0