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quechaya's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
3.5
This was a page turner but the ending hit me like a bag of bricks. I just want to read about lesbians and not have it end in tragedy! I am a depressed lesbian so Margaret killing herself at the end hit a little too close to home. I also didn't understand that Ruth was the molester ghost until looking up an explanation of the ending. This book is good but it just wasn't my cup of tea in the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, Child death, Death of parent, Abortion, and Body horror
reading_for_pluto's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Grief
eleanorryd's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
While reading it, it felt a bit slow, but once I got to the end it was all sooooo worth it. Other than the sometimes slow pace and the very long chapters (not all of them, but the ones that aren't short are looooong), I really have nothing to complain about. I love the characters - Margaret and Helen are sometimes a bit annoying but that feels intentional, I think - the gaol is an amazing setting (especially when Margaret talks to the porter near the end and he describes how it moves and cracks and floods and feels alive, those paragraphs were just so beautiful). I don't want to spoil it too much, but for anyone considering DNFing: THE ENDING IS WORTH IT.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
Minor: Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
There are brief descriptions of self-inflicted injuries and general illness in the gaol, as well as the main character dealing with grief over her dead father and her suicide attempt in connection with that. Her mother is not the most understanding woman, but I would not call it abuse.
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