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patch's Reviews (99)
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I never reviewed this novel, but it's my all-time favorite mystery thriller. The way Amy Engel made me care so, so, so much about these characters had me in tension, sick to my stomach, feeling with them every single second. I've rarely been this deeply engaged in a story. Lane, Allegra, Cooper, I needed them all to be safe so badly and held my breath on more than one occasion.
It's an incredibly dark book, devastating and bleak and messed up, with such an emotional punch behind it. The author doesn't shy away from any topic. Definitely look up some trigger warnings beforehand if there's anything you're particularly sensitive to.
It's an incredibly dark book, devastating and bleak and messed up, with such an emotional punch behind it. The author doesn't shy away from any topic. Definitely look up some trigger warnings beforehand if there's anything you're particularly sensitive to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia
That was fun! A bit slow with long periods of time where nothing happened, but I didn't mind that too much.
One of her weaker set of characters - it was hard for me to keep everyone apart at times.
One of her weaker set of characters - it was hard for me to keep everyone apart at times.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Oh my god ... this was a ride out of this world. Everything about this novel resonated so much with me - a detective duo, a possibly haunted ship, a huge and interesting cast of possible suspects, hundreds of secrets each of them carries and so much more I can't get into because of spoilers. It's a page-turner, complex yet easy to sink into, twisty, spooky, with just enough hints to make you see the outlines of what's going on without being able to tie it all together before the narrative gets there. So, so, so good.
The perfect way for me to consume this novel was to read the first 1/3 with my own eyes to get used to the many names and their roles, and then switch to the audiobook for the rest of it (using the e-book as a guide through the more complex scenes, lmao). The narrator does an amazing job of giving each character a distinct personality and each scene the right mood.
The perfect way for me to consume this novel was to read the first 1/3 with my own eyes to get used to the many names and their roles, and then switch to the audiobook for the rest of it (using the e-book as a guide through the more complex scenes, lmao). The narrator does an amazing job of giving each character a distinct personality and each scene the right mood.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bumping this up to 5 stars bc not a single day has gone by where I haven't thought about this novel. So weird, so enticing, fucked up, it has everything a horror novel needs for me.
Push past the 60% mark and it gets so, so much better (and weirder).
Push past the 60% mark and it gets so, so much better (and weirder).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Racism, Vomit, Cannibalism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence
dark
emotional
hopeful
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization
adventurous
dark
emotional
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The characters and the tight, complex and very personal plot are what makes this novel so fantastic. I suffered with Hilo, Lan and Shae on every step of the way (while shouting at their decisions every other page). Their problems and inner struggles felt so, so real and devastating.
4 stars simply because I personally don't connect to politics in fiction all that well and struggled at times to stay focused.
4 stars simply because I personally don't connect to politics in fiction all that well and struggled at times to stay focused.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
dnf at page 204/385.
I was so excited to read this, but so far it's been boring and hard to follow (for a non-native reader).
I was so excited to read this, but so far it's been boring and hard to follow (for a non-native reader).
dark
mysterious
tense
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Medical content, Medical trauma