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pelb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
1. The focus on new characters
- there were two new characters introduced, which seemed cool at first. They were good characters with interesting abilities, however, it felt like they were thrown in out of nowhere and then they took over the story. I felt like they could’ve had their own spin off story, rather than being put in this book. Their presence is what killed it for me, because it detracted from the main plot line and caused the downfall of my second problem:
2. The ending
- I could’ve overlooked everything else if it wasn’t for the ending. It was extremely rushed and felt unfinished, which was very disappointing after all the buildup. There was no satisfying conclusion I was looking for and I felt confused by the end, wondering why it wasn’t a trilogy, because the story is very clearly not over. Now if she actually comes back and makes a third book, which I’ve heard she might, that would significantly change my opinion of this book, because it was a very enjoyable read. I don’t think she’s going to though, so I am very disappointed.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Torture, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm
Minor: Addiction
theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Torture, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Abandonment, Self harm, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Blood, Gore, Confinement, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, Cursing, and Stalking
Minor: Sexual assault, Alcohol, Child death, Rape, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Drug use
lizziaha's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Body horror, Death, Child abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Self harm, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexism, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Infidelity, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Addiction
blackferrum's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Mixed feeling banget buku ini. Ada bagian-bagian yang menurutku pribadi epic, ada sebagian lainnya yang terkesan overshowing sampai penyelesaian masalahnya terkesan biasa aja.
Bagian paling epic (dan mungkin paling kuinget sampai sekarang) menurutku waktu Mitch nanya, "Sekarang apa?" hmmm, karena di buku pertama tujuan Vic jelas apa dan ending-nya juga udah tercapai. Bisa dibilang, Vic hidup buat tujuan itu. Sekarang, lima tahun kemudian, dia mau apa? Eli juga udah "kena". Terus aku mikir, ini buku mau dibawa ke mana, ya? Eli secara teknis udah nggak bisa ke mana-mana. Kalaupun dia nongol, nggak bisa lagi jadi star seperti buku satu.
Well, mungkin agak terlambat. Ini bukan spoiler, yaw. Karena di bukunya jelas banget ini seri, jadi harus baca buku pertama biar paham gimana-gimananya. Even blurb di buku kedua juga ada keterangan Vic kenapa dan Eli kenapa.
Oke, lanjut dulu. Banyak banget bagian yang aku tandai. Sampai satu warna nyisa satu lembar aja wkwkwk oke super enggak penting. Intinya, buku ini jelas sempet bikin otakku huru-hara. Kemunculan LB baru, kemunculan LB lama yang nggak kesorot di buku satu, dsb, dsb. Penulis bikin konflik baru buat Vic. Jadi, walaupun tujuan utamanya bukan Eli lagi, dia tetap punya tujuan di buku kedua ini. Kasihan sama dia sebenernya, kayak apa ya dia sendiri tuh aslinya tersiksa dan apa yang dia lakuin ke LB-LB lain juga nggak bisa dibenarkan. Doi parah, sih. Pantes Sydney sedih Vic harus berbuat "sejauh" itu.
Ada banyak yang belum terjelaskan. Kayak, ofc, kenapa June tiba-tiba nongol dan bisa punya bonding kuat sama Sydney. Apa mereka pernah ketemu sebelumnya? Atau June punya hubungan khusus dengan Serena, kakak Sydney?
Ada juga ONL, gebrakan baru dari Stell, tapi duh, gore juga ini buku. Tag dewasa di bagian belakang buku (atas kode batang) nggak boleh diabaikan, sih. Mesti hati-hati banget. Sampe stres daku bacanya.
Bagian-bagian yang sayang banget adalah: aksi balas dendam Marcella. Yep, si LB baru ini kemampuan korosifnya nggak main-main. Kalo dia mau, dia bisa bikin orang (sampe ke baju-bajunya) jadi abu. Dan setelah diskusi dengan teman bacaku, kehadiran Marce di sini kayak angin lalu. Hal yang nggak konsisten sama blurb-nya. Siapa pun yang baca pasti ngira cewek ini datang sebagai saingan Vic-Eli. Well, enggak salah sih, tapi motivasinya nggak kuat. Malah kayak jalan sendiri-sendiri. Vic justru punya tujuan sendiri, Eli pun begitu. Marce malah kayak pengganggu nggak penting dan haus perhatian. Kalo selama ini LB menyembunyikan eksistensi mereka, Marce sebaliknya. Dia bangga jadi LB.
Marce tuh gambaran korban misoginis menurutku. Semasa dia hidup nggak dianggap, cuma jadi pajangan. Ketika ingin kasih ide dan pendapat malah disuruh diam. Jadi, ya saat tujuannya tercapai dia nggak bisa cuma melenggang gitu aja. Justru ini saatnya dia show-off. And sometimes it feel annoyed, actually. Bagian yang mengadudomba Vic dan Eli nggak lagi relevan karena tanpa Marce pun, Eli tetap akan kabur dan Vic akan tetap kejar dia.
Astaga susah banget mau reviu secara proper karena buku ini kompleks banget. Too much focuses. Banyak karakter dan masing-masing punya tujuan sendiri. Eh, pribadi maksudku, karena kan selain hubungannya antar karakter, ada goals yang mesti dicapai. Dan June adalah orang paling enggak jelas di sini. Maumu apa, hey, asalmu dari mana? :'(((
Jelas nggak nunggu buku ketiga terbit dan diterjemahkan, yang entah kapan omong-omong. Oh iya, terjemahan di buku ini 50:50. Ada bagian yang susah buat dipahami kalo nggak betul2 konsentrasi.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Body horror, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Animal death and Misogyny
megj23's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Moderate: Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Animal death, and Fire/Fire injury
jkneebone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There is a lot happening in this book, and though parts of it were really interesting to me - we finally get some Eli POV and find out more about his history! - there was, for me, a bit too much going on, to the point that I found it a bit hard to know what to focus on. Eli and Victor's obsession with each other continues - Eli has visions of Victor's ghost and suspicions that he isn't dead, and once they're confirmed he wants to rectify that himself; Victor is determined to keep Eli from getting out of EON - but we also have Marcella's quest for vengeance against her husband/subsequent desire to take over the entire Merit mob, and the addition of EON as a source of conflict/potential fear for most of the characters. There's just a lot going on! I didn't find Marcella particularly compelling when contrasted with the other characters, and the sort-of role-reversal of Victor and Eli
It was still a quick and engaging read - although definitely not for those with a sensitivity to violence or graphic images, as there was even more gross and gory stuff happening in this book - but for me, lacked the delicious darkness of the first book. The characters were nasty, but the motivations felt muddied - and maybe that was the point, but whatever it was, it just didn't work for me as much as the first book did.
Graphic: Torture, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Blood, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Self harm, Animal death, and Medical content
marinasjd's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Violence, Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, and Addiction
donatio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The multiple POVs, the new characters, the writing, the plot... just brilliant.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Drug use, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Violence
readingqueerly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
But this book was really good! I mean reading it right after the first one just really highlights what a big role reversal we suddenly have between Eli and Victor. Each character, even the background ones, is so complex and interesting. There is a clear understanding of what everyone's motives are making them easy to appreciate as a character even when you don't agree with them or they flat out do terrible things. The plot was a great continuation of the first book. I think the time gap was a big help here to have a lot of things get set up off page that really moved the story along so that this sequel was similar enough but not repetitive despite its parallels.
If I'm not mistaken, a third book is coming. I for one will definitely pick it up. And reread these then when I am in a better mindset for them and can enjoy them a lot more than I already did.
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Drug use, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
213daisy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, and Gun violence
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Body horror