Scan barcode
sam_is_reading'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? No
5.0
This is yet another book that feels like it's written for me personally: magic exists in the real world, but only a select few are able to wield it. Everyone else... lives a normal life. But even in a magic world, murder can still happen.
The setting & characters for this are exquisite: a school for magic just 15 minutes out of town. Teenagers who are little shits with a god complex because they can do magic and the middle-aged detective sent to solve the case can't. Estranged twin sisters who want to reconnect but have years of space in between them.
The audiobook for this was so thrilling because the narrator spoke with incredible nuance: stammering and slurring when the character was drunk, her voice going high & low while she internal-monologued about the case. I definitely want to read the physical book but mostly because the audiobook was so fascinating.
Graphic: Cancer, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Abortion
chris_reads's review
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Blood, Cancer, Gaslighting, Death, Medical content, and Stalking
Minor: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Medical trauma
spidey'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
Graphic: Abortion, Murder, Cancer, Blood, Alcohol, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Medical trauma
Magical surgery is done several times with instances described in a detail that is gorythewoodlandbookshelf'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Stalking, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Death
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
micahslibrary'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
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Murder, Gore, Abortion, and Medical trauma
whitllo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Abortion, Body horror, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Pregnancy and Cancer
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
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