chanel_elise'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
1.5
The book goes from present to past events, alternating chapters of her current job/life to chapters about her upbringing and past. From reading the blurb I thought this book was going to be about a crime scene photographer that solved murders through getting clues from the victims ghost, and then Rita having to find creative ways of exposing the evidence without her explicitly saying “well the ghost told me.” This book is about one case and Rita’s struggle to live in a world that does not take her “gift” seriously. There are some disturbing details when Rita describes crime scenes and then goes on in live as if nothing happened. The tone was just off.
Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, and Child death
katiecentabar's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gun violence, and Violence
butilikeit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug use
lisaarnsdorf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Overall, I really liked this book. My main complaints are: 1) the author uses an alternating timeline, with every other chapter being in the past and the present. As the two timelines converged, I started to get really confused about where we were in time. And the past timeline dragged on a little too long. 2) The ending was morally ambiguous and too convenient. It felt like a cop-out in some regards.
I hope this becomes a series because it's a really interesting premise!
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Murder, Car accident, Death, Child death, and Gore
bzliz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I don’t really feel like I know Rita even after finishing the book. Photography seems to run in her blood- her mother and grandmother also were bit by the bug- but I have no clue if she has a passion for it or if she does it but she’s good at it. Part of me thinks her lack of personality is showing readers how drained she is by the ghosts who haunt her.
The descriptions can get grisly, particularly right at the beginning and at the judge’s house. The action takes a big backseat until the last third of the book when it really pops off. I was a little surprised by the ending because
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Violence, Medical content, Drug use, Body horror, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
hayleemarie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Colonisation
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
mayhem9683'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
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Terminal illness, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Violence, Murder, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Gun violence, Alcohol, and Eating disorder
librarystan'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Domestic abuse
laughatlantis's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Body horror, Death, Violence, and Gun violence
audreylee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Body horror