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hayleythegoose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
marianneiriss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
jmullins21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Suicide, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Gaslighting and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
I did not like this book. It tried to be at YA Secret History but fell short immensely… It was even worse than the Maidens in my opinion which also tried to do the same thing. The plot was predictable and has been done many times before, and the author tried too hard to use lots of mythological references but every instance just seemed like it was trying but failing to be pretentious. Lots of information was given that was just not followed through on or referenced every again. If you want a YA mystery, read the Gallagher Girls series… it is everything this series tries to be and actually succeeds at at being mysterious, pretentious, and funny at the same time.niccc152's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
All in all, this book I would best describe this book as a clunky mashup of "The Most Dangerous Game" and The Secret History. In part, I think the lack of finesse comes from being a YA book, which, in and of itself, is not a bad thing, but sometimes I found the book to struggle with more difficult topics and to be a bit heavy handed in its literary devices; its faults are in the writing, but its strengths are in the plot.
First and foremost, if you're one of those people that gets annoyed with words being repeated constantly throughout a text, this book may not be for you. "Stag" (alternatively, "STAGS") appears so often that I almost thought the author was getting paid by its use. I did read the hard copy, but I found myself wishing for a digital version so that I could actually do a search on how often it appeared. Is it important imagery and themes of the book? Yes, absolutely. But I also think that some literary imagery loses its impact when you're slapped across the face with it almost every page.
And, when you aren't being hunted (pun intended) by "stag," you're being showered with movie references. Now, this is a part of the main character, Greer's, personality and interests, so I understand why the references are included. But, again, this is where the heavy handed-ness leads to faults. Nearly ever description of scenery is described by a film reference. Okay, fair, I understand that makes it easier for the reader to picture. But there comes a point where so many references almost cheapen the writing. It seemed lazy in a way and I'm struck with the old adage of "don't tell me, show me." Further, some of the comparisons were a bit eye rolling. The ornate carpets looked like something you'd see in "Aladdin?" Really? That's the most lush comparison?
Further in the over-killed writing department - foreshadowing. I really love foreshadowing in plots, but oh wow was it overdone, especially early in the book. At one point, at least three different teachers at the school back to back to back tell in-depth hunting stories. To the point where it is so obvious to the reader that it feels exhausting.
Additionally, there feels very clearly this link to a lite version of Donna Tartt's The Secret History, what with the elite boarding school with an even more elite and more than slightly culty group, a focus on classical education, and an eschewance towards modernity. I don't mind this; I'm very much inclined to dark academia tropes, so I find this compelling. However, I am completely sucked out of the magic of the world when there are factual errors. For example, I, as someone who did study Greek and Latin in high school and college, am very confused as to why they'd "been studying Ovid in Greek that term" (p.14), since Ovid was a Roman author and wrote in Latin.
Along the same vein, I found the character of Greer to be a bit flat. Now, this could be that the book is in first person POV, which I think can hinder character development sometimes, but some things were just so inconsistent. She was apparently the prestigious scholarship winner with a photographic memory, but we never really see her fully use her intelligence. There's times where, I think, in order to make Greer more relatable to the reader, she is shown as more average? It's easier to project yourself into a character when you aren't fighting with personality traits you don't have. If that's the case, however, there should be less focus on how smart the character apparently is, when for most of the book she is being laughably obtuse.
Now, this is a book series, so perhaps there will be more developments in characters later, but I found many of the characters to fall a little flat. Henry and Shafeen were the few exceptions (and even that had its limits), but nearly everyone else was categorized as "bad cuz bad, good cuz nice." What were their motivations? How did they feel? The three girls in the Medievals were practically interchangeable.
Okay, now the good stuff. No spoilers, but I actually really liked the plot. I was curious to see how the book would pull off the similarities to "The Most Dangerous Game," while also maintaining that academic setting, but also not getting too dark because it still is YA. I think it did it well. Personally, I didn't think any of the twists were too mindblowing - perhaps because of the heavy foreshadowing?
I think also the book allows for some interesting discussions on philosophical topics: social class superiority; "making something" of yourself; human ethics; institutionalized racism; is technology a benefit or a burden? Very little of this is overtly discussed in-text, but there is enough there for the reader to mull over themselves, which I think is a strength as well (i.e., letting the reader think, rather than be told).
Overall, I know it seems like I have more criticisms than praises, but merely that is because I don't want to spoil anything. The plot truly is the gem of this book and the last 30 pages or so is what made me bump it up from a strictly average 3 stars to 3.5 stars. Unfortunately, other distracting features and no truly mindblowing twists keep it from going up to 4 stars or higher. I really wish that this book had gone through a few more rounds of edits, because I think then it really would have been a home run. If some points had been polished more, characters developed further, and some basic writing changed (please, fewer stags!), this book could have been so haunting and amazing. But, ultimately, after finishing the book, I did immediately run to the internet (Henry would be so disappointed) to see if the sequels were already out, so I think there is a high note in the end.
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
frumpkin_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.0
However, a tense and surprising read. I did enjoy it. It was very YA, but good to be back in a boarding school setting. Not been there since reading a Jacqueline Wilson book. Very eerie at times. Held your interest. My favourite parts were film references. They made me chuckle.
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Blood, and Murder