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harpygon's review
1.5
Honestly I was really enjoying the book. The school, the Jewel and Bone secret society, the murders, the attempts at solving the mistery. However the ending and the „solution“ really ruined the whole book for me.
I guessed that Liz was the murderer pretty early on. The clues to this are laid threadbare throughout the book. Her being the only person that was at every death, her „blackout“ in the forest before Cole/She found Frank, her headinjury/mental/memory problems, her self worth problems, her having the tiger balm, only the girls from JB dying etc. however, I didn‘t want to believe it. It‘s so easy. So lazy almost. Main character with rough childhood developes mental problems which cause her to murder her entire friend group?
I dismissed that theory as it just wouldn’t make for a good story. Why would this girl go mad for power if almost every kid at the school has a similar background and no history with mental illness (before this summer and theraphy; and the „school report“ mentioned in the second to last chapter After the reveal!!!) was important enough to mention in the book? Why would she kill the people that were a part of my Morton was so much better than her home??
The mystery was so captivating and impressive and fun to read. I was fevering with the characters. The story could‘ve been so good and I‘d have easily given the book 4 stars if the conclusion led to Dr.Patel OR the Cult. But then the conclusion had to ruin everything. The last 2 chapters feel extremely of tone. Liz‘s behaviour does a 180° turn for the crazier and everything goes batshit crazy. Also what is it? She can‘t remember shit, is genuinely scarred by the things she sees, is constantly in shock, unable to remember the scheming and shit OR is she the evil mastermind that instrumented all these murders, eternally aware of everything she did? If second is the case, then why did HER narration include the scarred descriptions of her, except to lead the reader astray? If it‘s only her somewhere, with no one (in the context of the story) to convince, then why?
There was so much this book did right, worldbuilding, characters, setting, however in the end the pitiful attempt at being a mental thriller was what made the entire book fall dead.
But you know, maybe the real pity is that I stayed up till 2 am to finish reading this book (because I was invested), only to now be unable to sleep because I am so disappointed and riled up about the ending of the book.
But you know, maybe the real pity is that I stayed up till 2 am to finish reading this book (because I was invested), only to now be unable to sleep because I am so disappointed and riled up about the ending of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
samcsmith's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness and Vomit
clinachrstina's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
4.5
Definitely one for the unhinged girlies!! A good book for its genre with a great setting and p interesting characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism