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izypup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Grief, Child abuse, Animal death, Confinement, Abandonment, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, and Murder
Minor: Terminal illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Blood, Misogyny, Mental illness, Stalking, Sexism, Police brutality, and Panic attacks/disorders
lunalorenne's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Murder, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Blood, Addiction, and Alcoholism
falibat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Domestic abuse, and Death
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence
Minor: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, and Alcoholism
jesliwen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism
liurhonda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Pros: the set up of the novel and pacing allows for a page turner mystery/thriller. Has some good plot twists, and I liked the range of characters included.
Cons: It's ironic how the main messaging (or what it attempts to message) of this book is that female victims are only remembered or highlighted by male perpetrators, while doing so the whole book by he vily centering Ansel/the male perp. We stay in his perspective a lot and the female characters are all quite enamored with him or heavily impacted by him. It makes sense logically but doesn't work with this type of messaging that only comes in at the end, very explicitly. Lots of tell and not show.
Also peppered in the end is a weak, again explicit, critique of the injustice in the prison industrial complex in America. While true, doesn't do anything new, nor does it contribute to the overall messaging of the book. Comes across a bit sloppy and not very impactful. Uses abstract flowery language to describe emotions, atmospheres, etc. too much for my taste. Characters also felt a bit hollow.
(A bit of a spoiler: I also wonder if how Ansel heard voices and how he 'pretends' much of his life alludes to any mental illness? Maybe I missed some implications, but would have loved to see this theme explored a bit more. Or at least this thread wrapped up)
TLDR; Ultimately the messaging/themes of this book where sloppy (some where very ambiguous which I did not like but that's a personal preference) but serves as a good spooky mystery page turner.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Addiction, Stalking, Suicide, Abandonment, Child death, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Pregnancy
arayo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Pregnancy
imogenlj's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Grief, Murder, Child death, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Self harm, Drug abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, Racism, and Sexual assault
emma_ekb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wowwwwwwww. i couldn’t put this book down. the story is essentially a critique of modern true crime narratives: the story of a serial killer, told primarily through the women who knew him or survived him.
other key themes/questions:
- what is the line between good and evil? can one person ever truly be just evil, or just good?
- nature v. nurture: how much does our past define our future?
- how do our individual choices affect the course of our lives and in turn, the course of history?
- what is justice? is achieving or finding justice even possible?
- how do we as a society treat victims?
- who remembers us when we’re gone? how can we be remembered without those who love us?
the author writes with such precision and poetry - i just love the way she describes things and how she seems to capture so many tiny details in so few words. more than anything, this book made me think.
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism
savreads28's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Confinement, Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Death, Sexual violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Mental illness, Rape, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
arabellaruby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Animal death, and Grief
Minor: Pedophilia