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bumble_abi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
this is blurbed as 'the most mind-blowing book of the year' which is the kind of hyperbole that can only set a book up for a fall. Marisa and her lovely boyfriend move in together and try to start a family, but Marisa is increasingly disturbed by the behaviour of their solicitous and overfamiliar lodger, Kate. There's a decent twist in this but it occurs only about a third of the way into the book, and then the rest is the long unraveling of how we got to that point, followed by a slightly too tidy ending.
This truly did feel like a book of two halves - the first half is great, tense and confusing and addictive, but it peaks too early and doesn't leave enough meat for the second half. There's not enough depth to any of it to justify its ultimate meandering. There's a (not graphic - the narrative voice just tells you it happened) rape scene which didn't have very much of a purpose in the plot except as a shortcut to creating a character who is unstable, which felt unnecessary and distasteful. I enjoyed it well enough but wouldn't rush to recommend.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Infertility, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness
Moderate: Rape and Violence
stagasaurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Graphic: Pregnancy, Infertility, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Miscarriage
Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Gaslighting
cleexxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Infertility, and Sexual violence
leoniejenkins'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
4.0
Graphic: Infertility
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Violence
books_plus_brownies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Infertility
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
marise_ve's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Infertility and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Violence
katherinejayne'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
It was pleasant enough to read but the plot just petered out, and the end was so resolved and neatly packaged that I found it dull. I know people like a complete resolution but it felt so finally different from the rest of the book.
I would read more stuff by Elizabeth Day- it’s easy reading stuff and perhaps other stories may resonate more with me.
Graphic: Mental illness and Violence
hodgeonlucy'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Gaslighting, Infertility, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Miscarriage, and Violence
goldenslug's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Infertility, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness
Minor: Violence
xbernadette'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Blood, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, and Violence