Reviews with content warning for Drug abuse - Tripping Arcadia

The Great Gatsby esque allure was evident when you discover the world Lena finds herself in with the Verdeau family but it’s only obvious in the few parties she finds herself working. Lena, our main character, was living in Italy with her hand when she is told to come home due to her father’s health and the family’s need for an extra paycheck to keep everything afloat.

Lena soon finds a job as an assistant “doc” to one Jonathan Verdeau. It’s a little illegal / shifty since Lena dropped out of med school but no one questions Lena after she helps Jonathan when she’s trying to find her train pass to go home post interview.

Before Lena knows it, she is caught up bit by bit until it’s too late to stop. So I was expecting more gothic / dark vibes but that kind of flickers in and out. It’s more about the messed up mindset of rich people and unfortunately those they attempt to bring down under with them Lena is one of those people Martin Verdeau (the man that hires her) tries to throw under the bus. Lena is caught up fancying the daughter Audrey (I think both MC’s are bi?) If you are into a lightly dark novel (level 0.5/1 in darkness factor) with poison and plants with queer characters, all yours.

I don’t want to spoil anything but I was a little underwhelmed. The pacing felt a wii too fast towards the last 25% and it was all wrapped up a little too well.

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anxiousnachos's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense

5.0

Fucking glorious. This book has slithered its vines into my head and completely consumed me. It haunts my soul. This bisexual hedonistic Gothic botanical horror has such exquisite vibes and such a wonderful pitch that I was a little worried it could never live up to what I wanted it to be - and then it did?! Iconic. It reads like a Baz Luhrmann film: somehow hazy and dream-like (or nightmarish), everything in slow-mo or reverse, I close my eyes and I can see scenes play out on my eyeballs so perfectly it has been carved into me. Poisons and sex parties and discussions of classism and murder and bisexuals and a sapphic relationship and a self-destructive man who longs for death ARE YOU KIDDING ME.

This book was painful. It will cut you and carve itself into your soul and it will hurt. I loved every inch of it.

Content warnings: drug use and addiction, alcohol use and addiction, chronic illness, chronic pain, non-consensual drug use including use of date-rape drugs, self harm, violence, blood, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, murder, attempted murder, classism

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zarap's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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our_bookish_reads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What an amazing debut novel! Bravo Kit Mayquist, bravo! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

The events that transpire are so well written that they're believable. Even the characters were believable! My favorite character was Jonathan, I just felt for him and he seemed the most real in this. I was so sucked into this book that I had to force myself to peel it away from my eyes! I was shocked by some of the twists in here and did NOT expect the last few bombshells! I can kind of get how this is compared to The Great Gatsby in that it compares the filthy rich to the absolute poor.... it also had a slight mysterious ambience while still staying in the Psychological Thriller genre.
I could go on and on about this book all night, I really could, but I don't want to give away the whole story!

Drug abuse, alcohol, suicide ideation and attempt are very heavy in this, so if that is a trigger, I'd advise you to skip this one.

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h_brohman's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Maybe 3 stars, I don’t know. The story is confusing and my feelings on it are just that.

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nonbinarylibrarianwitch's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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jenbianca's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ok this one is marketed as like a gothic thriller with a Great Gatsby vibe. it's very "eat the rich" lol.

Lena gets hired to work for a rich family as their physician's assistant - who comes to hate the family + seeks out revenge for wrongs done. i like the concept and vibe of the book but the main character was annoying and unrealistically vengeful. she becomes homicidal like 30% into the book and it just doesn't make sense. the book drags on wayyyyyy too long because of the quick escalation. and the ending is simply confusing - i'm still not sure what happened.

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booksofdahlia's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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