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bergha1998's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love this book. It’s dialogue on almost a cultish scientific religion, what it could take to make the world get along, and the “truth” and what it means. I get that it isn’t the easiest start of the book. The MMC is asshole for a good 1/2 of it, but goodness it gets good.
“The whole dating scene hung was a meltdown for her, an attempt to satisfy the craving to be normal. She was, in fact, not normal… she sometimes felt guilty for just being who she was.”
“Looking at the past is the only way to accurately predict the future.”
“Thinking in percentages like that might make us smarter, but it also makes us worst. When it comes to human beings, it makes acceptable causalities and extermination easier because all we’re getting rid of is a number.”
“The whole dating scene hung was a meltdown for her, an attempt to satisfy the craving to be normal. She was, in fact, not normal… she sometimes felt guilty for just being who she was.”
“Looking at the past is the only way to accurately predict the future.”
“Thinking in percentages like that might make us smarter, but it also makes us worst. When it comes to human beings, it makes acceptable causalities and extermination easier because all we’re getting rid of is a number.”
“Gods don’t make us into their images, we make them into ours.”
“I spent most of my life believing that history was where you found the truth. That you could just revisit a past thing again and again until you discovered it.”
“Walk forward and thrive without judgement, without mirrors. And most importantly, be thankful for every fleeting thing you’ve got in this near-apocalypse garbed in a riot of color.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
mar's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence and Self harm
Minor: Pregnancy
paperpaladin's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
A neo-noire story that is part Chinatown, part Bioshock. The main character of this story (who is unnamed) is a old detective with a sordid past. When asked to do a job for his old employer, things quickly go sideways as he is forced to confront both his employer's nebulous past as well as his own.
With this book there are two stories going on: the murder mystery that the main character is trying to solve and the arc of the character. As far of the plot goes it was interesting with a lot of flash backs. Not every question is answered but all of the big questions are answered. Things are set up well enough that I was able to guess some of the twists but not all which is a nice place to be at in a mystery. As for the character arc, I loved it. Chris Mckiney felt like he really understands the noire genre and was able to both pay homage to the genre while deconstructing it. The main character has growth and a self-awareness that makes the story enjoyable throughout.
My rating system
1 - Did not enjoy
2 - Not irredeemable but has too many flaws to say I enjoyed
3 - Enjoyed it
4 - Great book but didn't love it
5 - Amazing book
With this book there are two stories going on: the murder mystery that the main character is trying to solve and the arc of the character. As far of the plot goes it was interesting with a lot of flash backs. Not every question is answered but all of the big questions are answered. Things are set up well enough that I was able to guess some of the twists but not all which is a nice place to be at in a mystery. As for the character arc, I loved it. Chris Mckiney felt like he really understands the noire genre and was able to both pay homage to the genre while deconstructing it. The main character has growth and a self-awareness that makes the story enjoyable throughout.
My rating system
1 - Did not enjoy
2 - Not irredeemable but has too many flaws to say I enjoyed
3 - Enjoyed it
4 - Great book but didn't love it
5 - Amazing book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Murder