heini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, Sexual violence, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, and Misogyny
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal cruelty, Excrement, Rape, War, and Religious bigotry
bibliomania_express'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Stalking, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Gore, and Body horror
thedinosaurkid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It has all the good mystery traits of his previous book (7 ½ deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle) but with more paranormal-esque things.
Not my cup of tea, but still excellent!
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Genocide, Physical abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Slavery, Infidelity, Alcohol, Excrement, and War
kimberlyswalters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Spoiler
about how they manage and pull off their plans afterwards and spin Old Tom into a warning for horrible noble people to fearSpoiler
Addressing the afterward;
P.S. I imagine Arent as John Cena, but gruffer. Not necessarily sexy, but not not sexy.
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Torture, War, and Pregnancy
claresbookshelf's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
This was genuinely such a fun book to get through.
I knew going into it that it was going to be slightly different than Turton's first novel (The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle), but his writing style was so unique in that book that I knew that it would slip through to this novel as well. And I was right. Despite it not following the perspectives of as many characters, the narrative flowed in such a natural way that it kept the pace of the story consistent throughout.
There wasn't a single moment in this book where I felt like things were dragging or taking too long. And most importantly, I couldn't figure out the mystery. I had my suspicions on certain characters, but not clear motive or means. So when everything was explained at the end, it was a surprise and yet it all made sense.
Also, I loved the little nod to Evelyn during the explanation. Very cute touch.
To be fair, I know Turton has stated that he likes writing stand-alone novels with new characters but if he really wanted to he could use that to create a pretty cool little connected universe.
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Classism, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, Murder, and Physical abuse
shinsoukoku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.25
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Minor: Excrement, Child abuse, Vomit, Child death, War, Animal death, Confinement, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
set in the medieval era, there is a brief scene of sara having to fulfill her "obligations" with her abusive husband and multiple threats of assault leading up to a character suggesting they, the men, use the women of the ship as they wish, willing or not.massivepizzacrust's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Genocide, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
maiagaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
The Devil and the Dark Water commits what is, to me, a cardinal sin: a POV character lied to the reader with their own thoughts.
Spoiler
Creesjie is the POV character when she finds the governor general's body. She panics and cries and is frightened in the dark. We find out later that she planned the whole thing and planted a fake murder weapon in the middle of that scene. But we don't see it because it would ruin the mystery. And that's the only reason. It makes zero sense.There are also multiple instances of chapters ending with a random description of something that the character didn't see. These chapters are written in 3rd person limited, so the random omnipotence is clunky.
The reveal of the twist was bad enough , but the final scene was the expired whipped cream on this shit sundae. We have two well-developed, stubborn characters who do a total about face in the last five pages.
Spoiler
Arent and Sara are both set up as having strict, particular views on morality, yet at the end, they are suddenly willing to look past the hundreds of deaths Creesjie and Pipps caused??? I could maybe buy it if given more time, but 5 pages is NOT enough.At this point, I'm not sure I'll be reading from this author again. He has a wonderful writing style, but the endings are just unforgivable.
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Violence
Moderate: Genocide, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: War, Vomit, Slavery, Child death, Colonisation, and Confinement
taymariereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Vomit
oliverlang'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
4.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Vomit