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challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this book scooped out my soul like it was a gallon of soft serve but my god did it feel good
pacing is a little slow at times, but when it gets good, it’s so hard to put down
pacing is a little slow at times, but when it gets good, it’s so hard to put down
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, War
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: War
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Torture, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, War
Moderate: Cancer
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Beautifully heartbreaking. Some of the best Prose I've read in a while, but a gut punch of a book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, War
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Medical trauma
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I have such mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it was compulsively readable and really wrenched at my emotions. On the other hand, the big twist and the last few chapters felt strangely empty? It felt just slightly like the author had worked herself into a bit of a corner and didn't quite know how to get out of that spot. I was also hoping for a more meaningful reason for what was going on, I guess, but I also recognize that this is a YA book, so it was never gonna be as "deep" as I desired (then again, there are some YA books with really deep, nuanced themes, this just wasn't one of them). I did really enjoy this book on an entertainment level, but I suppose the last chunk of the book just made it all feel kinda empty for me. I'd say read if you're specifically looking for a YA readalike for Addie Larue, but don't expect any kind of big messages or deeper-than-surface themes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Medical content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, War
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would have liked a little more depth to the two main characters relationship. It often felt repetitive at times without much clarity on the direction the book was going. That is, until closer to the end when the climax was reached. I wish I had felt more emotion from the characters in the way of the writing instead of being told their emotions through the author themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, War
Minor: Torture, Suicide attempt
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the book. It was very fast paced and there was a build up with every chapter. I think the writing was so good and made you truly feel a connection of sorts with death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
sigh. what a repetitive, plodding mess of a book
how did they manage to make reincarnation with a side of mutual murder deeply uninteresting after the first 3 times it was explained. this book is very much in the running for squandered premise of the year, neck and neck with Blob
the numerous flashbacks felt like a low-budget music video. oh look, we’re in Paris with baguettes! Now we’re in China with concubines!!! Next, the desert with camels~ When the author mentioned Pompeii as an aside I actually snorted out loud. It felt like fucking Disney Channel Pass the Plate except someone got stabbed at every cheesy location. most of the flashbacks could’ve been a recap in the present; many of them in the middle felt like fluff to try and add dimension— they didn’t reveal anything new about Arden or the reasoning
the drawn-out“reveal” was like a soggy firework- i expected something really interesting and just got a bit of smoke and even more disappointment. very handwavy hellscape with demon deals- it felt like a scrapped teen wolf episode. the “solution” even more so
i felt absolutely nothing for any of the characters because we didn’t really know them- every 5 pages they were kind then cold then loving then hateful then smart then dumb then sad then laughing. It was hard to root for Evelyn or Arden because they were such cardboard people with “many lives” as an excuse for not being fleshed out. the villain was just… a random creature… this story feels unfinished or rushed or something… like where is the rest of the char dev or magic system building
how did they manage to make reincarnation with a side of mutual murder deeply uninteresting after the first 3 times it was explained. this book is very much in the running for squandered premise of the year, neck and neck with Blob
the numerous flashbacks felt like a low-budget music video. oh look, we’re in Paris with baguettes! Now we’re in China with concubines!!! Next, the desert with camels~ When the author mentioned Pompeii as an aside I actually snorted out loud. It felt like fucking Disney Channel Pass the Plate except someone got stabbed at every cheesy location. most of the flashbacks could’ve been a recap in the present; many of them in the middle felt like fluff to try and add dimension— they didn’t reveal anything new about Arden or the reasoning
the drawn-out“reveal” was like a soggy firework- i expected something really interesting and just got a bit of smoke and even more disappointment. very handwavy hellscape with demon deals- it felt like a scrapped teen wolf episode. the “solution” even more so
i felt absolutely nothing for any of the characters because we didn’t really know them- every 5 pages they were kind then cold then loving then hateful then smart then dumb then sad then laughing. It was hard to root for Evelyn or Arden because they were such cardboard people with “many lives” as an excuse for not being fleshed out. the villain was just… a random creature… this story feels unfinished or rushed or something… like where is the rest of the char dev or magic system building
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War