bergha1998'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
3.75
Murder Mystery, Slightly Fantastical, Lots of Violence/Murders
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Blood, Drug use, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Child death, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Gun violence, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Torture
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
trippalli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Murder, Suicide, Torture, and Stalking
Moderate: Child death, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
kristyno2001'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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Drug use, Torture, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Murder, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Cursing, Rape, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Classism, Gaslighting, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
lisaarnsdorf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
However, it was overly complicated. There were too many details to keep track of, too many jumps in the timeline, too many characters, too many twists and reveals. The story needed some serious editing and simplifying to make it truly great. There was a character whose sole purpose in the book seemed to be for gratuitous violence that isn't even in keeping with 1920s sensibility of the story; I didn't need that at all.
When the bigger picture is finally revealed, it feels like you've been dropped into an entirely different story. (Inception, anyone?) The main motivation for being at Blackheath is almost disorienting, not a fully fleshed-out story, and frankly, not even believable. And I just didn't like the ending. If there was a spot where we could have used more, the ending was it.
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gore
Minor: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Drug use
jhbandcats'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
3.5
I liked the concept - a single entity jumping, or thrust into, a lot of different bodies. In that sense it reminded me of Claire North’s Touch. But this book left me with too many questions. I felt unsatisfied reading it, that too much was going on for it to make sense.
That said, I liked the story. I just wish it had been tighter.
An aside: I wonder why this is titled The 7 1/2 Deaths whereas the British edition is The Seven Deaths. Perhaps because The Seven Deaths of Evelyn H [Hardcastle] is too close to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn H [Hugo]?
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Gore, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Murder, Violence, Drug use, and Eating disorder
artstitute's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Spoiler
The big twist that the whole plot was some cooked-up punishment a la Black Mirror kind of felt unnecessary to me. It didn't ruin the rest of the book, but it introduced a lot of moral quandaries that I don't think added much. OTOH, the Evelyn twist? IMMACULATE.Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Grief, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Torture
heoleen'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? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Body horror, Violence, and Body shaming
Moderate: Fatphobia, Grief, Suicide, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Death
shaylashaylala's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Rape, Blood, Gaslighting, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Child death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
mgcord'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
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Classism, Alcohol, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Rape
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Physical abuse, Stalking, Blood, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Bullying, Classism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Ableism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Abandonment, Mental illness, Alcohol, Grief, and Infidelity
Minor: Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual harassment
Avoid if you don't like: torture, trying to remember about 24 vaguely similar characters, or telling instead of showing.