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champagnepr0blem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Now here are my real issues with the book.
2) I understand that the teachers are supposedly 'here for a season' characters, however it is implied that the head teacher is more of a permanent fixture. So why are they not concerned about Lon hanging round the school? Why are the adults not concerned about him hosting 'youth club' lock ins? Where is the adult supervision in this town of predators?
3) For a woman that is a lady of leisure, and loves her children, the twin's mum doesn't have a clue what's happening in their lives. Either the family was groomed/hypnotised by Brian to give Lon his latest feed without endangering the lives of those already in the village (could have been explored) or she really just doesn't care about her children. Ones been groomed by a serial killer who's age is unknown, the other by an old witch who wants to pass down magic. Neither of which she has any idea about until its too late for both of them.
4) The casual homophobia from Catlin about Oona, there was no need other than to make Maddie coming out harder, however when she did come out all was fine and forgotten. Along with the relationship with Oona.
5) Casual animal sacrifice is never cool. When you bring in a kitten just to sacrifice it 10 pages later that feels really cruel.
6) Final, the pace made no sense. The first 3/4 seemed so slow like nothing happened at all, then there was 5% where the entire story happened before going back to nothing happening at all.
Overall, you can probably find something you like about this book it's mostly, inoffensive apart from those offensive bits.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Homophobia
hazelsea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Violence, and Murder
wardenred's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
We’re so close to nature here. Lots of hidden life. And hidden death.
Wow. This book turned out to be way creepier than I expected.
For the first 2/3 to 3/4 of the book, the story mostly stays rooted in the regular confusing teenage experience, with some mystery/witchy stuff added in for flavor, and it does the job rather well. Maddie's struggles are relatable. Lon, the older guy, is clearly a creepy abuser whether there's anything supernatural about him or not. The twins' family relationships are compelling.
Then, in the final part, the author decides to deliver on all those dark and disturbing promises, and my, does she go all out. There were several scenes there, in rapid succession, that made me physically cringe. I wish I was more thorough about checking the trigger warnings going in.
I mostly like the conclusion everything worked up to, but that last part was honestly jarring. It didn't come out of nowhere; it did flow quite logically out of all the earlier foreshadowing. But I felt like some of it was sort of too much for a young adult book somehow.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Cannibalism
Minor: Homophobia
thoroughlyenjoyedbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
aliencat13's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Homophobia