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minamouse's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’ve seen a few reviews stating that they knew exactly where this novel was going, and I just have one question for those people...UMMM HOW!?!?!
I genuinely did not understand what was going on until the last 10 pages of the book, but I enjoyed every second of it! I loved how uncomfortable and overwhelmed this story made me feel. I was looking for something that would really grab me by the throat and throw me through a window. Something that would make me scratch my head unironically. This book succeeded.
I’d be lying if I said I thought this book was perfect, it’s not.
Like most psychological thrillers with horror elements the story can/is confusing. And while I personally enjoy thrillers that don’t spell everything out for me, I can see how some readers may have a hard time getting through this book.
There are three separate distinct voices in this book. You have the POV of the main female, but there are also moments where she will go on these long stream of consciousness rants (because after a while that’s what they start to feel like) about her life in which she is guaranteed to mention her doubts about her romantic relationship. And then we have the occasional page or two that appears to be a discussion between two people about the death/possible murder of an unnamed man.
I reveal at the end of the book triggered an audible gasp from me. I literally had to put the book down for 5 mins to process this information. THAT’S WHY THE BROTHER WAS NEVER BROUGHT UP! THAT’S WHY THE KITCHEN WAS EMPTY! THAT’S WHY EVERYTHING FELT FIMILAR TO THE FEMALE LEAD! IT WAS JAKE THE WHOLE TIME!
Andddddd this is when the bad taste kicked in. Why must the story of a deeply insecure man use a woman’s POV? I get that she is an expression of his perceived failings, but the more I consider the context in which she is used the more annoyed I become.
Andddddd this is when the bad taste kicked in. Why must the story of a deeply insecure man use a woman’s POV? I get that she is an expression of his perceived failings, but the more I consider the context in which she is used the more annoyed I become.
It’s still a great book! It’s still a story worth exploring, and I will probably recommend it to my friends, but I’m getting a little tired of women being used as a foil for insecure men <insert gif of sighing woman eating pizza alone in a diner at 11 PM>.
4 out of 5 ⭐
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Stalking
Minor: Gaslighting
madelinequinnee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is an incredibly confusing but beautiful book. I went into this expecting it to be about suicide, then thought it was about the end of a relationship, and then it went full circle and back to suicide. The experience of reading this feels like watching Black Mirror, very trippy and gut wrenching.
The writing is absolutely beautiful, and for a horror/thriller, it has some amazing lines that really hit me in my personal feels. This book covers the difficulty of relationships, family dynamics, mental health and stalking all in one tiny little novel, and i truly think it’s one of the best modern literary fiction books i’ve read; this will definitely be considered a classic in the future!
The writing is absolutely beautiful, and for a horror/thriller, it has some amazing lines that really hit me in my personal feels. This book covers the difficulty of relationships, family dynamics, mental health and stalking all in one tiny little novel, and i truly think it’s one of the best modern literary fiction books i’ve read; this will definitely be considered a classic in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
kaleegannon's review against another edition
3.5
genuinely frightening!! very atmospheric, unsettling. enjoyed the dialogue in the first half a lot, too. minus points for the ending but really enjoyed the ride up until then.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Stalking and Gaslighting
Minor: Ableism and Blood
suicide:aparker89's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
What on earth? That was a twist I wasn't expecting! So we'll written. So much anticipation- the ending was perfect!
This is one of those stories that seems a little conflated UNTIL the VERY END! And the end is SO worth it! The perfect amount of realistic horror, terror, fear and nothing too out of the ordinary. Unsettling to say the least! Fantastic read!
This is one of those stories that seems a little conflated UNTIL the VERY END! And the end is SO worth it! The perfect amount of realistic horror, terror, fear and nothing too out of the ordinary. Unsettling to say the least! Fantastic read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Self harm, Suicide, and Torture
offtheraels's review
dark
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Suicide and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
bitchigo's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Minor: Body horror and Cursing
peachmoni's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
kibiiiariii's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I truly disliked this book.
The writing itself isn't that bad, but the beginning and end of this book really are. The beginning is extremely boring and filled with superficial philosophy, the long car ride does really feel like one, it´s never-ending the end made me full of rage, I already wasn't enjoying this book but the ending really felt like I had wasted hours of my life, the author pulled the it was all a dream shtick . The middle part didn't feel as bad.
As for the characters, I cannot stand the main one, (whose POV we always follow) I was actually constantly rooting for her death. I am aware she represents more than appears at first sight, but I still find her insufferable.
On a brighter note, or darker in this case, I felt the tense and ominous environment was really well maintained from the half point onwards, but this wasn't enough to save this book for me.
The writing itself isn't that bad, but the beginning and end of this book really are. The beginning is extremely boring and filled with superficial philosophy,
As for the characters, I cannot stand the main one, (whose POV we always follow) I was actually constantly rooting for her death. I am aware she represents more than appears at first sight, but I still find her insufferable.
On a brighter note, or darker in this case, I felt the tense and ominous environment was really well maintained from the half point onwards, but this wasn't enough to save this book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
anningana's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
tmartinez's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was a fun book to read with other people but it's not a genre I'd typically read on my own so I'm not sure how to rate it. The book itself was entertaining and thrilling but the ending really confused me. A friend explained it to me and that helped me make better sense of it but I wish it was more laid out in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting