lizreaderhold's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Torture, Abortion, Child death, Chronic illness, Gore, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Confinement, Slavery, and Toxic relationship
booktribe's review against another edition
Moderate: Child death, Pedophilia, and Self harm
charlottesreadingweb's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Confinement, Child death, Self harm, Murder, Miscarriage, and Incest
Moderate: War, Rape, and Pregnancy
emzhay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Child death, Torture, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Confinement, Self harm, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, and Bullying
janisgoblin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Self harm and Child abuse
purplebeanbooks'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Rape, Torture, Emotional abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Child death, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Miscarriage
This is a book about a cultarchaicrobin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
The characters were all unlikeable and prevented me from connecting with any of them. The story is told from two timelines, one in the past before the massacre on the island, and the other after from the perspective of the sole survivor. It’s written in first person for both perspectives but this did not help connect with the character, it just made things more tedious in my opinion.
Along with unlikeable characters the pacing was far too slow and this book was a total slog to get through. I had to force myself to read this because most of the time nothing was happening but more abusive cult bullshit with no real purpose. Trigger warnings for rape, drugs, torture, starvation, child abuse, sexual assault, pedophilia, and violence by the way because no trigger warnings are given and this whole book is focused on this mini cult where all these abuses occur. It was so tedious to pick this up and have another chapter about abuse but it’s ok because it’s for Adder, like I GET IT, they’re in a cult on this island for some reason.
I know there’s a plot in this book I just honestly can’t find it. The twist was also just confusing, there were so many questions, all of them left unanswered. The narrator is a huge part of the twist and it lies in her changing her mindset and leaving the brainwashing but it was unbelievable how it happened. She just woke up on day and decided to not believe in it anymore, after being raised and manipulated and abused her entire childhood she just one day stands up and says “nah”.
Overall, I would skip this earlier novel by Ward which was recently re-released on the states and read her newer works instead that have engaging characters, better pacing, and a clear plot line that doesn’t get muddled up in abuse and cult nonsense.
Graphic: Drug use, Sexism, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Torture, Abandonment, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Miscarriage, Classism, Body horror, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Drug abuse, and Pregnancy
alexandragriffin's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Pedophilia and Sexual assault
jla's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Spoiler
Libby audiobook
Great narrator. The book definitely has a gothic horror feel. It was pretty standard cult stuff, so a lot of that was predictable. I wasn't super surprised by what happened or the resolution.
Would have been 5 stars, but there were just some things with Jamie that upset me. They never mentioned what happened to William. How is he an uncle when he was an only child? Jamie could have just said he went looking for Sara instead of bringing beef. I can't believe he could just say he should have loved Sara all along. Come on.
I really felt for Jamie, Able, Sara, and Dinah. A lot of felt bad for Eve, but she really seemed to enjoy harming people, and I'm not sure it's all explained by her upbringing. </ spoiler>
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Self harm
goldenas's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Animal death, Gore, Torture, and Violence