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sighclopss'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? It's complicated
4.5
I liked that it was written like a mystery, lots of foreshadowing and scattered hints that you tucked away to piece together in the end.
This is the second Stephen King book I've read, and can definitely see a pattern of themes emerging. Very influenced by the cultural climate of the era it was written in. The intense racism can be jarring, especially paired with the sexual violence.
I really enjoyed Mike as a character, I wish the ending had of been a happier though, they all deserved it.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
woodselisa76's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
tofillwithfruit's review against another edition
1.0
Graphic: Child death, Racism, and Rape
dlajoie'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
3.5
For fellow King fans, I also wonder how/if the “outsider” that Mike perceives in the climax ties in to the broader King-verse?
Graphic: Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
bethanyellen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia
flourpwr'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? No
1.5
Graphic: Racism and Rape
thelindyeffect's review against another edition
1.5
Graphic: Racism, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism
anni_in_wonderland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
My issues with this book:
1. Unlikable main character
“He was handsome in a way that would be attractive to certain women - the kind who rarely call the police when things go wrong at home because, on some miserable secret level, they believe they deserve things to go wrong at home. Wrong things that result in black eyes, dislocated elbows, the occasional cigarette burn on the booby. These are women who more often than not call their husbands or lovers Daddy, as in ‘Can I bring you a beer, daddy?’ or ‘Did you have a hard day at work, daddy?’”
This character is sometimes referred to as “Daddy” later on in the book, it is unknown if he is married or in a relationship and there are no women present in this scene. And yet for some reason Mike Noonan - I am giving King the benefit of the doubt that he wrote an unlikable main character on purpose - manages to make the entire description of his first impression of this man about blaming and shaming victims of domestic abuse. I just can’t with it - and I nearly did not finish at this point.
Something kept me going though. Lucky me, because I would have missed an absolute banger. This time Noonan is describing another henchman of super-evil-villain-guy:
Wow, just wow. This reeks of “I’m not a fatphobe, look I have fat friends, but…” The way these descriptions are worked into the book are just bizarre and expose Noonan as a bigot. Now, maybe this is King’s intention, maybe we are supposed to like the main character but then why do we spend so much time with him and why does the narrative frame him like the good guy? This is worsened by the fact I find all the female side characters - Sara Tidwell, Jo Noonan and Mattie Devore - to be much more interesting. I would have enjoyed their perspectives.
The main villain of the book is Max Devore, Mattie’s father-in-law who is fighting for custody of his granddaughter. He employs a number of evil lackeys to do the dirty work for him, including a lady who is his PA and who is always written to seem closer to his age (he is in his eighties) but then the epilogue casually throws in:
Graphic: Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Murder
bookbelle5_17'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
4.25
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
badgerwaffles'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail