Scan barcode
schnaucl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
The characters were interesting and as were the ways the high school was both magical and utterly ordinary. Ivy's resentment at the wasted magic was understandable, as was the student's "waste" of magic because they're just kids and it's common for them, not the extraordinary thing it is for Ivy.
It was a very well built world. I'd like to spend more time there.
Moderate: Alcohol, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Blood, Gore, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Cancer, Death, Eating disorder, Abortion, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
oliverreeds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
just_one_more_paige'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
Graphic: Grief, Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, and Cancer
Moderate: Pregnancy and Murder
ireadinbed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really loved the voice in this story. I felt like I could really step into Ivy's shoes. She felt hardened without being unlikable, without being somehow immune to the wonder around her. Her relationship with her sister was so layered and complex. I was really intrigued by the familiarity and strangeness between them.
And there were so many great viscerally descriptive scenes especially with the medical procedures. Truly tickled my fancy. And I loved the very ending.
It did feel like a first mystery novel though. I didn't feel like leads were developed quite enough.
Graphic: Abortion, Cancer, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
stacy837's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Medical trauma, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Grief, Blood, Abortion, Cursing, Death of parent, and Cancer
foreverinastory's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rep: white female MC (I think Ivy is queer but I'm uncertain), BIPOC bisexual male love interest, several lesbian female side characters, pansexual female side character, BIPOC female side character.
CWs: Body horror, abortion, cancer, gore, blood, death, murder, medical trauma, medical content, grief, past death of parent, alcoholism, alcohol consumption, terminal illness, bullying, emotional abuse, violence, mentions of past pregnancy that was terminated, vomit, gaslighting, toxic friendship, injury/injury detail, sexual content. Moderate: eating disorder and mention of weight checks, cursing, mention of past adult/minor relationship, panic attack, suicide, sexual harassment.
Graphic: Gore, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Grief, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Eating disorder, and Cursing
jodean'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
4.0
I wish the ending had been tied up a bit more, tho.
Graphic: Murder, Abortion, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Violence, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cancer, Blood, and Body horror
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
katymat18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Death, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Abortion, Abandonment, Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, and Vomit
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol
longlost'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The school life of Osthorne in general felt very real and present - reading this did make me feel re-immersed in school culture, for good or for bad, and learning about all the magic lore from Ivy's outsider point-of-view was interesting. I very much enjoyed Rahul as a character (my beloved) and I appreciate the affect he had on Ivy's character development.
Regarding the murder mystery itself: I have some Thoughts.
Gailey's writing style was also very enjoyable to me; in parts of the book where they would delve so deep into a scene that it would take a few more paragraphs to learn of small circumstances that took place during the scene that weren't focused on, a choice that feels like it helped with the tension & mystery elements. Ivy's inner voice also felt very authentic.
Overall: a good mystery book with some fun fantasy elements and a cache of pain to hit you with when you reach the story's end.
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Abortion, Gore, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Bullying, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Stalking, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
TW details -laguerrelewis'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Vomit, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Abortion, Bullying, Gore, and Grief