Scan barcode
daffodilcherry'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
4.0
I liked the central mystery, and the cast of characters that surrounded it were well fleshed out and real. The worldbuilding was just deep enough to keep the book moving, which was fine and explainable as Ivy doesn't understand much either. The heart of this story really was the relationship between Tabitha and Ivy rather than solving the mystery at times. I listened to this as an audiobook and Xe Sands perfected the world weary private detective vibe.
Definitely a great read, 4/5 stars since I'm feeling a little fatigue at American highschool stories. Secondary characters were in sapphic relationships, but the main character is very into a (bi) man, which was written sweetly. Specific content warnings will be explained below.
Wheelhouses: noir detective, snarky and self aware noir detective POV, magic school, highschool through the eyes of an adult, mean girls cliques, chosen one narratives with a twist, sapphic side characters, sister estrangement and reconciliation.
Graphic: Body horror, Abortion, and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
A major story arc is about Ivy uncovering a teen pregnancy who then has a magical abortion, which itself is a body horror experience without pain:abbiechron's review
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Medical trauma, and Abortion
Moderate: Death of parent, Gore, Blood, Alcohol, Body horror, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Sexual content
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Vomit, Bullying, and Stalking
sammycakes95'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
3.75
Graphic: Medical trauma, Abortion, Cancer, and Murder
kaybee23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Abortion, Death, and Death of parent
turrean'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
The audiobook was FANTASTIC.
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Bullying
Minor: Pregnancy and Terminal illness
forg3y'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
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Abortion, Medical trauma, Body horror, Terminal illness, and Cancer
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit and Blood
It handles the panic attack parts well, with some good ways to cope (and one, impossible-but-wouldn't-it-be-nice way)pennyante's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror and Abortion
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
alithomas's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Abortion and Alcoholism
Moderate: Blood, Pregnancy, and Cancer
maegani'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
4.5
Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Cancer
kiwi_00'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
5.0
- Romance aspect of the story-
I enjoyed the flirtations and dates of Rahul and Ivy and I wish that they had one final discussion about how she messed up and a possibility of fixing it (I wanted them to end up together), it was a shame that her inferiority complex towards her sister got in the way . - Mystery- Brilliantly done especially because the investigation is not some Sherlock Holmes/Hercule Poirot investigation where only they could have solved it. Since everything is so realistic and Gailey takes care to make sure that the details in the story align well enough that when particular details stuck out to me, I was trying to solve the mystery alongside Ivy even though I ended up being way off. Once the perpetrator is revealed and gives an explanation, it makes so much sense why
Tabitha did what she did but I was surprised that Ivy didn't say anything. Tabitha losing two people that she loves to cancer broke her mind and she was willing to do anything to save Sylvia even though she ended up killing her. Harbouring the feeling (and then finding out that Ivy blamed her) that she was somewhat responsible for her mother's death and then conjuring a plan to remove all the cancer from Sylvia? Despite being the perpetrator, you can't help but feel sympathetic - Magic- I liked how realistic it was, it felt so different to other stories about magic on a school campus.
It was more akin to science and even then just physics theory. I liked how in the background magic stuff was in comparison to the rest of the story especially the part about a prophecy and a 'Chosen One' . I think notbeing able to do magic is such an integral part of Ivy's inferiority complex towards her sister which helps to make Ivy feel more human than a perfect detective who solves every single case with no issues.
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Death, Abortion, Medical content, Cancer, and Blood
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Adult/minor relationship