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bashsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I knew that Schwab was a fan (as they posted something about rewatching Hannibal as she's writing the third Villains book), but the influence was much more direct in this one than Vicious - especially in the Eli and Stell storyline, which has a lot in common with Will and Hannibal's stints in high-security prisons, helping to catch other killers. And of course, the climatic scene harkens to the defeat of the Red Dragon.
Do not think that this book is just Hannibal with a superhero veneer, though. There are a lot of subplots woven together, and most of them are unique. For example, I love June and her entire character. I love poor Sydney's struggles. I'm intrigued by the shady-orgness of EON. I'm curious as to how the next book will go, given how we left off with plot twists at the end of this one - and I hope Schwab doesn't take too much longer to give it to us!
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, and Vomit
katelyn_stark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Animal death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
aliyachaudhry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Infidelity
Minor: Vomit
cowardlyteaman'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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
Minor: Stalking
theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Stalking
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
lizziaha's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction
blackferrum's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Mixed feeling banget buku ini. Ada bagian-bagian yang menurutku pribadi epic, ada sebagian lainnya yang terkesan overshowing sampai penyelesaian masalahnya terkesan biasa aja.
Bagian paling epic (dan mungkin paling kuinget sampai sekarang) menurutku waktu Mitch nanya, "Sekarang apa?" hmmm, karena di buku pertama tujuan Vic jelas apa dan ending-nya juga udah tercapai. Bisa dibilang, Vic hidup buat tujuan itu. Sekarang, lima tahun kemudian, dia mau apa? Eli juga udah "kena". Terus aku mikir, ini buku mau dibawa ke mana, ya? Eli secara teknis udah nggak bisa ke mana-mana. Kalaupun dia nongol, nggak bisa lagi jadi star seperti buku satu.
Well, mungkin agak terlambat. Ini bukan spoiler, yaw. Karena di bukunya jelas banget ini seri, jadi harus baca buku pertama biar paham gimana-gimananya. Even blurb di buku kedua juga ada keterangan Vic kenapa dan Eli kenapa.
Oke, lanjut dulu. Banyak banget bagian yang aku tandai. Sampai satu warna nyisa satu lembar aja wkwkwk oke super enggak penting. Intinya, buku ini jelas sempet bikin otakku huru-hara. Kemunculan LB baru, kemunculan LB lama yang nggak kesorot di buku satu, dsb, dsb. Penulis bikin konflik baru buat Vic. Jadi, walaupun tujuan utamanya bukan Eli lagi, dia tetap punya tujuan di buku kedua ini. Kasihan sama dia sebenernya, kayak apa ya dia sendiri tuh aslinya tersiksa dan apa yang dia lakuin ke LB-LB lain juga nggak bisa dibenarkan. Doi parah, sih. Pantes Sydney sedih Vic harus berbuat "sejauh" itu.
Ada banyak yang belum terjelaskan. Kayak, ofc, kenapa June tiba-tiba nongol dan bisa punya bonding kuat sama Sydney. Apa mereka pernah ketemu sebelumnya? Atau June punya hubungan khusus dengan Serena, kakak Sydney?
Ada juga ONL, gebrakan baru dari Stell, tapi duh, gore juga ini buku. Tag dewasa di bagian belakang buku (atas kode batang) nggak boleh diabaikan, sih. Mesti hati-hati banget. Sampe stres daku bacanya.
Bagian-bagian yang sayang banget adalah: aksi balas dendam Marcella. Yep, si LB baru ini kemampuan korosifnya nggak main-main. Kalo dia mau, dia bisa bikin orang (sampe ke baju-bajunya) jadi abu. Dan setelah diskusi dengan teman bacaku, kehadiran Marce di sini kayak angin lalu. Hal yang nggak konsisten sama blurb-nya. Siapa pun yang baca pasti ngira cewek ini datang sebagai saingan Vic-Eli. Well, enggak salah sih, tapi motivasinya nggak kuat. Malah kayak jalan sendiri-sendiri. Vic justru punya tujuan sendiri, Eli pun begitu. Marce malah kayak pengganggu nggak penting dan haus perhatian. Kalo selama ini LB menyembunyikan eksistensi mereka, Marce sebaliknya. Dia bangga jadi LB.
Marce tuh gambaran korban misoginis menurutku. Semasa dia hidup nggak dianggap, cuma jadi pajangan. Ketika ingin kasih ide dan pendapat malah disuruh diam. Jadi, ya saat tujuannya tercapai dia nggak bisa cuma melenggang gitu aja. Justru ini saatnya dia show-off. And sometimes it feel annoyed, actually. Bagian yang mengadudomba Vic dan Eli nggak lagi relevan karena tanpa Marce pun, Eli tetap akan kabur dan Vic akan tetap kejar dia.
Astaga susah banget mau reviu secara proper karena buku ini kompleks banget. Too much focuses. Banyak karakter dan masing-masing punya tujuan sendiri. Eh, pribadi maksudku, karena kan selain hubungannya antar karakter, ada goals yang mesti dicapai. Dan June adalah orang paling enggak jelas di sini. Maumu apa, hey, asalmu dari mana? :'(((
Jelas nggak nunggu buku ketiga terbit dan diterjemahkan, yang entah kapan omong-omong. Oh iya, terjemahan di buku ini 50:50. Ada bagian yang susah buat dipahami kalo nggak betul2 konsentrasi.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death and Misogyny
megb64's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry
readingqueerly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
But this book was really good! I mean reading it right after the first one just really highlights what a big role reversal we suddenly have between Eli and Victor. Each character, even the background ones, is so complex and interesting. There is a clear understanding of what everyone's motives are making them easy to appreciate as a character even when you don't agree with them or they flat out do terrible things. The plot was a great continuation of the first book. I think the time gap was a big help here to have a lot of things get set up off page that really moved the story along so that this sequel was similar enough but not repetitive despite its parallels.
If I'm not mistaken, a third book is coming. I for one will definitely pick it up. And reread these then when I am in a better mindset for them and can enjoy them a lot more than I already did.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
ten_telegrams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Torture