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symabee's review
3.5
There were things I did like about the book. The horror and supernatural elements were cool, I enjoyed learning about Native culture and mythology, how it addresses addiction and trauma, and the fact that it shed light on the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women.
Now for the things I didn't like.
It all felt very disorganized and had a lot of subplots thrown in that distracted from the story. At times, this felt more like a love letter to Denver, Colorado than a horror/thriller. So much time was spent describing local businesses, their decor and signage, and how they had changed over the years. Lots of talk about gentrification and yuppies taking over the area. I understand a certain level of this is needed to set the scene for the story, but this just felt rambling at times. A large portion of this book is also spent on the main character's cousin, who is in an abusive marriage. The cousin is basically just emotional support for the main character, so I'm not sure why we needed to know so much about her marriage.
There are also many references to Stephen King, David Mustaine, Bud Light beer, and reading old paperback novels in random places like noisy bars. After a while, it started giving "I'm not like other girls" vibes.
I loved the idea of this book, and it had some great qualities, but the execution was very lackluster, unfortunately.
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Gore, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Pedophilia
bookshelf_al's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use and Alcohol
Moderate: Death of parent, Pedophilia, and Gore
cranewife's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Addiction, Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Grief, Drug use, Gun violence, and Violence
imstephtacular's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual content, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, Body horror, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Blood, Gun violence, Gore, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, and Cursing
Minor: War, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Vomit, and Pregnancy