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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
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
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.
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.....
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.....
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
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.
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Vomit
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn’t hate it but it also wasn’t my favorite. It was a nice little read with a different concept. I also found it confusing at times.
This story felt very overwhelming with the constant POV and timeline switching, along with a very odd one from a jaguar which is a nod to Edgar Allen Poe. Very little of it made sense to me alongside the shallow motivations of the characters and a lot of the plot relies on suspension of disbelief for the sake of the plot. Ultimately, I think this is only for fans of Edgar Allen Poe with the nods to his various works. Even as a casual reader, I was left more confused than anything else.