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jully_bean'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Homophobia, and Vomit
akrys40's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Kidnapping and Murder
Moderate: Incest
Minor: Rape
lchoinski'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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
morgansaysto's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Gore, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death and Child abuse
Minor: Rape
thejwq's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting
smalefowles'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
1.0
Nasty and just dumb. The twists were telegraphed a mile away, and no one's motivation really made sense. Nothing anyone did made sense. How did they live in such a rural area and still rob different gas stations all the time? Has the author ever left Portland, OR? Such a dumb book.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Murder
pkatrinaanne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, and Murder
eclaire912's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
cherihy808's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As far as characters, I hated them all (except Alice). Even Michael. Yes I felt bad for him at times but then at other times he gave me the creeps just as much as Reb and Momma.
The last thing I have to say is I wonder how someone can actually think of these things and write about it ?! I know it’s fiction. I know it’s her career, but I have to be honest, if Ania Ahlborn was my family or friend, I think I’d be really afraid of her.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, and Cannibalism
yxi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I just want to talk about that last line.
It punched the air from my lungs...
This book is bleak and devastating and cruel, and I loved every page. Even when I saw the plot unfolding and predicted where it would go, I found myself spurred on to read faster so I could see how it would all come together.
Ahlborn is able to portray traumatised and violent characters in a way that walks an exceptionally thin like between horrifying and empathic. We see their flaws and the source of those traumas, but the narrative never excuses what the family does.
'Brother' is beautifully written, heartbreakingly tragic, and bleak enough to sit like a weight on my chest for the rest of the year.
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Murder