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silentrequiem's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Would not consider this cozy. There are too many dark moments, high stakes for it to be cozy. It's cozy adjacent at times.
I enjoyed reading this book, but when I was done, I really am torn. I really did not like Cress, who was super controlling and arrogant. I didn't think Kate was very well defined as a character, and her storyline was all over the place. She started off a student and then suddenly just... stopped? And the resolution of everything was a giant deus ex machina that came out of left field and didn't really make sense with any of the groundwork laid down before.
That epilogue scene really pissed me off too. Maybe I've seen too many people who do the cake-smashing thing without the consent of the other party and it's always, ALWAYS a sign of one person lacking respect for the other. It's unnecessarily cruel and left a bad taste in my mouth, and amplified my misgivings about the book. Honestly, if it weren't for that scene, I probably would have ignored much of the rest of the issues.
I enjoyed reading this book, but when I was done, I really am torn. I really did not like Cress, who was super controlling and arrogant. I didn't think Kate was very well defined as a character, and her storyline was all over the place. She started off a student and then suddenly just... stopped? And the resolution of everything was a giant deus ex machina that came out of left field and didn't really make sense with any of the groundwork laid down before.
That epilogue scene really pissed me off too. Maybe I've seen too many people who do the cake-smashing thing without the consent of the other party and it's always, ALWAYS a sign of one person lacking respect for the other. It's unnecessarily cruel and left a bad taste in my mouth, and amplified my misgivings about the book. Honestly, if it weren't for that scene, I probably would have ignored much of the rest of the issues.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Car accident
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