The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
violetvulptex's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Blood, Drug use, Alcohol, Murder, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Antisemitism, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Transphobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Excrement, and Gore
readingwithcoffee's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
The book is incredibly superficial and predictable with a central argument that’s pretty ludicrous towards the end it has An argument that authors only have one great work in them that’s just complete nonsense for actual well read authors to entertain given how many others such as James baldwin, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Isabela Allende and more have written so many great books. This and how it doesn’t actually challenge the idea that great art comes from tragedy and instead seems to agree with it is silly. The cast is diverse ethnic wise with a Jewish protagonist, British, Russian and Hungarian characters and entirely female cast except for very minor male characters but the Russian and southern woman are complete stereotypes. And as another reviews noted the only queer women comfortable with their sexuality are murderous psychopath that are obsessive that feels like a bad stereotype alongside the indecisive and anxious bi-curious rivals that are uncomfortable with their sexuality there entire book despite wrestling with that also being a clear themeÂ
The main protagonist despite being thirty has a maturity of teenage girl and never seems to take almost maiming even if accidentally another author so she can’t write seriously but we’re expected to treat being ghosted by a friend as remotely a similar grievance especially as she imagines the woman as horrible friend any way but feels entitled to the woman never ending the friendship on terms different from the protagonist. It’s incredibly immature that we’re expected to both sides. Also the only black woman is constantly stereotyped and feels like she’s there to be the clan and collected characters and constantly associated with Africa, and slavery from lion necklace to someone who’s family is from Senegal saying her family came over the trans Atlantic slave trade when that’s African Americans. I genuinely think the majority of her on screen dialogue had the book discussing her in association with Africa or slavery more then anything else or having her awkwardly accuse the other white women reducing her to angry black woman that instead of critiquing racism in white liberal spaces felt the non black author feeling incredibly self conscious about her own black character and almost entirely white cast.Â
Also I’ve enjoyed books within books before but while the one here is related to the events in the book it reads like bad historical fiction.Â
The main protagonist despite being thirty has a maturity of teenage girl and never seems to take almost maiming even if accidentally another author so she can’t write seriously but we’re expected to treat being ghosted by a friend as remotely a similar grievance especially as she imagines the woman as horrible friend any way but feels entitled to the woman never ending the friendship on terms different from the protagonist. It’s incredibly immature that we’re expected to both sides. Also the only black woman is constantly stereotyped and feels like she’s there to be the clan and collected characters and constantly associated with Africa, and slavery from lion necklace to someone who’s family is from Senegal saying her family came over the trans Atlantic slave trade when that’s African Americans. I genuinely think the majority of her on screen dialogue had the book discussing her in association with Africa or slavery more then anything else or having her awkwardly accuse the other white women reducing her to angry black woman that instead of critiquing racism in white liberal spaces felt the non black author feeling incredibly self conscious about her own black character and almost entirely white cast.Â
Also I’ve enjoyed books within books before but while the one here is related to the events in the book it reads like bad historical fiction.Â
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Misogyny, Blood, Vomit, Racism, Genocide, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Death, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Drug use, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Addiction, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Child death, and Child abuse
emeraldjulep's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I might be giving this too many stars if I consider a lot of the technical aspects other reviewers correctly point out.
But really enjoyed the overall read, could hardly put it down and it was a fun palate cleanser. Â
Female relationships on every level, good and bad, stereotypical and not. Even demonic and not! Yes this book gets way out there so it’s best to know that going in.Â
Â
I don’t think the marketing around this book prepares the reader at all about what story they are getting into. I actually think it’s purposefully done to up their sales which is annoying. I certainly expected more of a traditional thriller, closed room kind of mystery: what you actually get is a thriller set up (first half) that turns more into horror- erotic horror in some places. As others have said the story didn’t really need the explicit sex scenes, but I don’t see that it was so out of line with the storyline either. Being surprised by it could be really off putting to some readers so again- annoying. Anyway I rolled with the whole wild, outlandish story and had a fun time.
Oh did anyone else think the addition of a chipmunk into this fever dream was really Disney weird? After reading so much chaos by that point I found *that* to be shocking, ha
But really enjoyed the overall read, could hardly put it down and it was a fun palate cleanser. Â
Female relationships on every level, good and bad, stereotypical and not. Even demonic and not! Yes this book gets way out there so it’s best to know that going in.Â
Â
I don’t think the marketing around this book prepares the reader at all about what story they are getting into. I actually think it’s purposefully done to up their sales which is annoying. I certainly expected more of a traditional thriller, closed room kind of mystery: what you actually get is a thriller set up (first half) that turns more into horror- erotic horror in some places. As others have said the story didn’t really need the explicit sex scenes, but I don’t see that it was so out of line with the storyline either. Being surprised by it could be really off putting to some readers so again- annoying. Anyway I rolled with the whole wild, outlandish story and had a fun time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Sexual violence
rachelle_reads's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence and Murder
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