brookey8888'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
4.75
Honestly, it was just vibes like nothing was happening, but a lot was happening and I was interested the whole time if that makes sense. I really liked the character‘s and the little dash of a romance. I did not see that ending coming like at all I was actually shocked , I don’t know this was really entertaining and fun it’s not the best mystery. I feel like but I wasn’t trying too hard to guess and I didn’t guess. I think this is my first like dark academia book and I ate it up. I’m excited to read the silent patient now because I saw those little Easter eggs about it. When I was reading, I actually had to stop and like scream a little and because I was like there’s no way.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Infertility, Sexual assault, Violence, Animal death, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, and Grief
joscelynhe'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Murder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, and Stalking
Moderate: Death of parent and Abandonment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
trippalli's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
syinhui's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.25
Spoiler
I don’t buy at all the part where Theo said Zoe is merely a proxy and controlled bySpoiler
SebastianZoe suddenly going unhinged and murderous in front of Marianna feels so random. Fred following her and for some reason knowing she’ll be in danger is just convenient.
Spoiler
I think I would’ve even preferred it if Fred and Fosca were actually the secret lovers. Fred, contrary to his clumsy and boyish demeanor (the picture of him with a dog though – one of those frustrating red herrings) as the real cold-blooded murderer and Fosca as an accomplice. Both seem to have had unhappy childhoods. Turning out to be monsters themselves, like their own fathers, killing young women as a means to channel their hate as well as their desire for the love of their mothers. Sounds like classic abused/neglected-child-turned-predatory behaviors. Cliché, but at least the motive is there. Using the story of Persephone, the cult of maidens, and Greek tragedies as a backdrop.. Fred eventually betraying Fosca after finding out he’s sleeping with the girls. Uses him as a scapegoat, frames him up to take the fall. Fosca’s demise (better at the hands of Marianna or Zoe) or arrest would be an opportunity to further explore the themes of grief, regret, loss and longing. Not to mention, a potential parallel to Tennyson and Hallam. Now that I think about it, this could be a good BL fanfiction idea.I could see Zoe as a total nutcase. Still sticking with the plan to frame up her professor. She’s suspicious from the very start and I wouldn’t mind if the second pov was actually her alternate personality/identity. With a little tweaking, it would probably make sense. Better than a kid having romantic and sexual relations with a deranged man twice her age.
Spoiler
Me trying to make sense of Sebastian’s role as Hades?? and how ridiculous and unbelievable it is:"Oh, I’ve got an idea for the twist! What if we make someone who has no established motivation so far whatsoever our mysterious killer?? Remember how I’ve repeatedly alluded to the story of the Maiden, Persephone? That’s the central focus. Not those characters who I already hinted to have daddy/mummy issues. Nooo! Everything else is a mere diversion. The goal is not to weave clues together but to have readers think in retrospect. For what could be more effective than the dead? The least harmless character in the story. Plus, this serves as a sort of divine punishment or justice, y’know. I bet no one would see that coming."
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Grief, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Stalking
Minor: Confinement, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Abandonment
gondorgirl'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse
threadsof_kate's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Violence
literaryinluv'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? Yes
2.5
0.2 seconds after meeting her: "marry me"
the red herrings were just so... forced. like,
Spoiler
oh fred has a picture with a dog, and the letter mentions "premonition," which he claims to have, it must be him!!! but like nobody thinks that, he's just some guy.everything felt forced, and like the author was booping my nose and saying, "catch that? let me explain!"
despite all this, i enjoyed the pacing and the ending, as well as the
Spoiler
actual culpritGraphic: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Cursing, Physical abuse, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Incest, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol, Abandonment, Rape, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Infertility
thebookpaiges's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Self harm, Murder, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Blood, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Death of parent, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
joperceptions'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? It's complicated
3.75
twist. The writing style was easy enough to follow for me. The only comment on that is, I feel as though the character development for supporting characters (important ones too) was just not as strong as it should have been at points. I found myself confused on who certain people were once I hit the end of the book, but that could easily just be a me issue. I’m not going back to check but I feel like it had some minor plot holes, or at least things that weren’t wrapped up in a way that was at all satisfying, nor helpful to answering any questions that the plot twist may have evoked. I feel like the reveal was dropped and somewhere it was forgotten that we’d still want to hear the aftermath (beyond the few pages of whatever we got). And also understand more about wtf that plot
Line was even about and elaborating on it more?? But we got none of that. It’s not a VERY BAD book, it’s actually a really good concept and I like the authors writing style in a general consensus, i just think this book could have been articulated a bit better and it would have been a really good read.
⚠️SPOILER AHEAD⚠️
Spoiler
I really just don’t think Zoe being the killer made any sense to me, the whole ending sort of felt like it was decided last minute. I don’t feel like it had any build up, or things that happened prior to even create a sense of suspicion toward her at all, which sort of made the reveal, shocking yes, but a bit less interesting. TW: (pedophilia, grooming) Also the lack of conversation on the fact that Sebastian groomed a minor, was so incredibly concerning to me. Like i understand it was brought up mid “fight scene” or whatever that last bit was. But I still feel like that bomb was just dropped and not at all critiqued besides her being upset that zoe and Sebastian weren’t who she thought they were. Not the literal fact that Zoe was a minor, a literal CHILD when all of that shit happened. It was not approached in a way that was appropriate in my eyes.Graphic: Blood, Death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Medical content, Body horror, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Incest, Grief, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Violence
vibingandy'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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Stalking, and Toxic relationship