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colorwired's review against another edition
I was also very thrown off by The Boy That Lived trope that becomes glaringly present in the first quarter.
There are definitely parts that are dark and scary, but I somehow felt confined even though the story skips around the globe.
I didn’t finish this book because I didn’t want to do the work to plug through everything to get to the point.
I was very disappointed because I was initially very excited about this book.
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Trafficking
rosyapple's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Torture, Police brutality, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
mpbookreviews'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
anns_storybound_sanctuary'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? Yes
5.0
What impressed me the most was the story telling, the world building, the characters and how the author achieved it to give every character their own voice. The diction, punctuation and grammar is different for every character which gives them even more depth.
The prose is also just gorgeous. The way J. M. Mirow describes each scene, setting the mood before diving into the action. This for me makes the storytelling even more immersive
The story itself is set mostly in Vicotrian England, at the end of the 17th century. This gives this book a dark academia feeling even though half of the cast of characters is under the age of 18. The story is written in a lot of different POVs which contribute to the immersion.
I wouldn't rate this book as a YA novel as which it was marketed here. There is a lot of violence and loss in this book. Which I as an adult reader appreciated but is not fit for children.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Torture, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, and Death of parent
fate_of_ansley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Racism, Self harm, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use and Cannibalism
librarianlayla'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
Prepare yourself for a heartbreaking, raw, ride. Beautifully written, darkly descriptive, and intense.
The only reason this doesn't get the full 5 stars is because there was very little ebb and flow of emotions. It is mostly fraught, with very few light moments to break up the harshness. But I did enjoy it greatly, and am looking forward to the sequel!
For fans of Miss Peregrine's, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and The Nevers.
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Murder, and Gaslighting
missindyrose'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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Self harm, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail