misterbojangles's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Blood
Moderate: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Violence, Death of parent, and Child death
redistributionofmatter's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
starlitpage's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Child death, Death, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Gore, Death of parent, and Fatphobia
erebus53's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Book #3 of the Lockwood & Co series sees the introduction of a new member of the team. Holly is the first character to be introduced to the series and described as brown skinned(!). So far the books have been not very diverse in their cast, which is why I still prefer the Netflix TV series.
Lucy is starting to really warm up to her powers of communication with spirits, and although this seems to be able to take their investigations in new directions, placating and releasing spirits, rather than waging war upon them, it does open her up to the emotions and influences of some powerful and messed up other-beings, that could end up endangering her and those she cares about.
Much as I like the direction of the story and the plot points, there are a lot of things about this series that are starting to drive me up the wall. The constant fatphobia is doubled down on in this book with Holly being ridiculed for enjoying health foods and skipping sugary treats, and George being situated firmly in the "pro-cake" column. Lucy is still a mean and insecure piece of work, who rips into people with sarcasm, seems entitled to know everyone's secrets, and seems to sulk rather than trying to resolve conflict. She basically seems to hate anyone without a Y chromosome.
I don't know why it has to be so, but the most endearing character is the comedic buddy Skull who (like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) spends the entire time dreaming up insults or ways to kill the party members, in gleeful asides. "Egg-whisk!" I guess it's the character that's ALLOWED to be evil, and I'm sick of the heroes being secretive, snarky and malign.
I think I'll keep future episodes for when I am needing something not too challenging because I find it a bit hard to get invested in a story with such an irritating main character.
Lucy is starting to really warm up to her powers of communication with spirits, and although this seems to be able to take their investigations in new directions, placating and releasing spirits, rather than waging war upon them, it does open her up to the emotions and influences of some powerful and messed up other-beings, that could end up endangering her and those she cares about.
Much as I like the direction of the story and the plot points, there are a lot of things about this series that are starting to drive me up the wall. The constant fatphobia is doubled down on in this book with Holly being ridiculed for enjoying health foods and skipping sugary treats, and George being situated firmly in the "pro-cake" column. Lucy is still a mean and insecure piece of work, who rips into people with sarcasm, seems entitled to know everyone's secrets, and seems to sulk rather than trying to resolve conflict. She basically seems to hate anyone without a Y chromosome.
I don't know why it has to be so, but the most endearing character is the comedic buddy Skull who (like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) spends the entire time dreaming up insults or ways to kill the party members, in gleeful asides. "Egg-whisk!" I guess it's the character that's ALLOWED to be evil, and I'm sick of the heroes being secretive, snarky and malign.
I think I'll keep future episodes for when I am needing something not too challenging because I find it a bit hard to get invested in a story with such an irritating main character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Violence, Fatphobia, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Murder, and Blood
growintogardens's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
*sigh* Lucy's so judgemental of other people and it's really annoying and, in this case, ruined a lot of this book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Murder, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Child death
Minor: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Bullying
lilou0922's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Much darker than the first two. The amount of ghosts and the power of the last one had me a little nervous at times.
Spoiler
the Holly/Lucy rivalry was.... interesting? Like I understand Lucy but also can girls support girls? Plz? And OMG THE HOLLOW BOY WAS CREEPY AND DONT LEAVE LUCY
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Fatphobia
annie_2's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It really bothers me tha way Lucy criticices everyone but Lockwood, even herself. And that all the girls that appear are "competition" to her. The plot is really enterraining though
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Fatphobia and Child death
renpuspita's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Mungkin karena semua buku di seri Lockwood and Co. ini ceritanya dari sudut pandang Lucy dan gue sendiri juga cewek, pun gue pernah merasakan yang Lucy alami di buku 3 ini, gue sedikit banyak paham dan perasaan Lucy yang gundah serta emosi tinggi di sepanjang buku itu bagi gue valid. Bayangin aja kamu udah settle dan nyaman di tempat kerja, cocok sama rekan kerja baik yang baik banget (Lockwood, walau masih misterius dan menutup diri) atau nyebelin tapi adorable (George, dengan komen sarkasnya), terus tahu2 ada member baru yang ternyata berkebalikan personalitynya sama kamu? Mana sama - sama cewek pula! Yang perlu diingat, Lucy ini masih remaja belasan tahun. Dan Stroud berusaha membuat Lucy bersikap seperti remaja pada umumnya. Jadi kalau ada perilaku2 yang menyebalkan..ya umur segitu lho!
Tentu saja adegan terbaik adalah saat Lucy dan Holly saling tengkar dan mengungkapkan emosi masing - masing yang sudah lama tertahan. Best scene ever! 🤣 I want a catfight, I got a catfight and Stroud sure deliver!
Bisa dibilang buku paling emosional dan gue juga ngeh banyak yang kesel sama tingkah Lucy yang kayak orang lagi PMS, tapi ya sekali lagi gue paham kenapa. Gue malah suka karena perkembangan karakternya lebih terasa dengan diberi konflik. Gue sampe penasaran apa beta readernya Om Stroud itu banyak ceweknya, karena ya..cewek banget sih konfliknya, lol. Eniwei, back to the case, kali ini kasusnya sangat besar. Ada penampakan hantu yang meningkat di Chelsea dan ga ada yang tahu kenapa. Parahnya, agensi Lockwood and Co ga diikut sertakan oleh inspektur Barnes dari DEPRAC yang masih saja ga suka dengan Lucy dkk. Walau begitu, kasus yang diambil Lockwood and Co sangat banyak sampai Lucy, Lockwood dan George keteteran. Mau ga mau harus tambah orang, dan terkejutlah Lucy saat baru kembali cuti dari pulang kampung ada seorang asisten cewe bernama Holly Munro yang menurut Lucy, sikap efisiennya kebangetan. Belum lagi menurut Lucy, Holly deket banget sama Lockwood dan George. Disinilah awal konflik dimulai, selain dengan kasus para hantu.
Sukanya gue sama buku ini, banyak kasus-kasus kecil yang diambil Lockwood and Co, yang awalnya kayak kelihatan ga berhubungan dan ternyata ada koneksinya dengan kasus besar yang jadi fokus cerita. Mulai dari kasus Lavender Lodge, lalu rumah berhantu milik Mrs Wintergarden, yang ternyata emang ada hubungannya dengan wabah Chelsea, sampai berujung pada kasus di toserba Ackmeire. Hantunya pun ga main - main. Bikin merinding semua, terutama penampakan Fetch di toserba Ackmeire yang suka merayap - rayap ga jelas. Kasus di buku 3 ini hampir - hampir mirip dengan kasus di buku 1 seperti Rumah Mrs Wintergarden mengingatkan pada Combe Carey Hall dan bahkan ritual tentang pembuatan kaca tulang di buku 2 juga disinggung. Seakan semua kasus yang ditangani Lockwood and Co itu bagian dari skema konspirasi yang lebih besar.
Tapi selain kasus, tentunya ada perkembangan di karakternya dong. Lucy yang mencoba bakat Dengarnya dan berakhir dengan ditegur Lockwood, karena percobaan Lucy untuk negosiasi dengan hantu bisa membahayakan diri dan team . Terus kalau di buku ini Lucy sama Lockwood jadi agak renggang gara - gara kehadiran Holly, sama George malah jadi lebih dekat. Dari trio ini, gue emang paling suka George sih karena walau sarkastik tingkat tinggi, tapi rasa ingin tahunya juga sangat besar plus kadang George yang paling logis diantara trio Lockwood. Gegara Lucy emosi tinggi dan Lockwood masih suka gegabah. Walau, agak kasian juga baca Lucy merasa tersisih di buku ini, karena Lockwood dan George kelihatannya senang ada Holly. Holly sendiri menurut gue ga buruk, tapi jadi kelihatan kayak harus dibenci karena pandangan Lucy yang bias. Makanya pas mereka bertengkar, gue seneng, karena ya gitu dong, jangan diem2an aja ga jelas saling sindir XD. Bahkan Holly juga nyindir Lucy yang kelihatan banget memuja Lockwood. Walau begitu, gue juga suka baca bagian saat akhirnya Lockwood mau buka -bukaan tentang masa lalunya. Om Stroud cukup piawai dalam membuka lapisan bak lapisan dari tokoh - tokohnya, jadi ada character development yang cukup signifikan dan rahasia yang sedikit demi sedikit terungkap.
Tengkorak..hmm gimana yah? Gue ngerti sih kenapa banyak yang suka, tapi gue ga terlalu. Kayak komen - komen sarkas si tengkorak itu cuma buat shit and giggles aja. Walau beberapa komentarnya membantu Lucy, kebanyakan malah cuma buat ngomporin Lucy, terutama saat emosi Lucy sangat tinggi. Identitasnya pun masih tertutup dengan rapi, membuat pembaca jadi menduga - duga, selain sebagai asisten Dokter Bickerstaff (di buku 2), siapa sebenarnya tengkorak ini dan kenapa dia disimpan di dalam toples sampe akhirnya berakhir di rumah Lockwood.
Endingnya sendiri cukup membagongkan dan emang ciri khas Stroud buat mengakhiri buku dengan sedikit cliffhanger meski masalahnya udah selesai. Bikin pengen baca buku selanjutnya kan? Sayangnya walau terjemahan udah enak dibaca (Mba Poppy emang juara!), typonya masih bertebaran dimana - mana :')
Tentu saja adegan terbaik adalah saat Lucy dan Holly saling tengkar dan mengungkapkan emosi masing - masing yang sudah lama tertahan. Best scene ever! 🤣 I want a catfight, I got a catfight and Stroud sure deliver!
Bisa dibilang buku paling emosional dan gue juga ngeh banyak yang kesel sama tingkah Lucy yang kayak orang lagi PMS, tapi ya sekali lagi gue paham kenapa. Gue malah suka karena perkembangan karakternya lebih terasa dengan diberi konflik. Gue sampe penasaran apa beta readernya Om Stroud itu banyak ceweknya, karena ya..cewek banget sih konfliknya, lol. Eniwei, back to the case, kali ini kasusnya sangat besar. Ada penampakan hantu yang meningkat di Chelsea dan ga ada yang tahu kenapa. Parahnya, agensi Lockwood and Co ga diikut sertakan oleh inspektur Barnes dari DEPRAC yang masih saja ga suka dengan Lucy dkk. Walau begitu, kasus yang diambil Lockwood and Co sangat banyak sampai Lucy, Lockwood dan George keteteran. Mau ga mau harus tambah orang, dan terkejutlah Lucy saat baru kembali cuti dari pulang kampung ada seorang asisten cewe bernama Holly Munro yang menurut Lucy, sikap efisiennya kebangetan. Belum lagi menurut Lucy, Holly deket banget sama Lockwood dan George. Disinilah awal konflik dimulai, selain dengan kasus para hantu.
Sukanya gue sama buku ini, banyak kasus-kasus kecil yang diambil Lockwood and Co, yang awalnya kayak kelihatan ga berhubungan dan ternyata ada koneksinya dengan kasus besar yang jadi fokus cerita. Mulai dari kasus Lavender Lodge, lalu rumah berhantu milik Mrs Wintergarden, yang ternyata emang ada hubungannya dengan wabah Chelsea, sampai berujung pada kasus di toserba Ackmeire. Hantunya pun ga main - main. Bikin merinding semua, terutama penampakan Fetch di toserba Ackmeire yang suka merayap - rayap ga jelas. Kasus di buku 3 ini hampir - hampir mirip dengan kasus di buku 1 seperti Rumah Mrs Wintergarden mengingatkan pada Combe Carey Hall dan bahkan ritual tentang pembuatan kaca tulang di buku 2 juga disinggung. Seakan semua kasus yang ditangani Lockwood and Co itu bagian dari skema konspirasi yang lebih besar.
Tapi selain kasus, tentunya ada perkembangan di karakternya dong. Lucy yang mencoba bakat Dengarnya dan berakhir dengan ditegur Lockwood, karena percobaan Lucy untuk negosiasi dengan hantu bisa membahayakan diri dan team . Terus kalau di buku ini Lucy sama Lockwood jadi agak renggang gara - gara kehadiran Holly, sama George malah jadi lebih dekat. Dari trio ini, gue emang paling suka George sih karena walau sarkastik tingkat tinggi, tapi rasa ingin tahunya juga sangat besar plus kadang George yang paling logis diantara trio Lockwood. Gegara Lucy emosi tinggi dan Lockwood masih suka gegabah. Walau, agak kasian juga baca Lucy merasa tersisih di buku ini, karena Lockwood dan George kelihatannya senang ada Holly. Holly sendiri menurut gue ga buruk, tapi jadi kelihatan kayak harus dibenci karena pandangan Lucy yang bias. Makanya pas mereka bertengkar, gue seneng, karena ya gitu dong, jangan diem2an aja ga jelas saling sindir XD. Bahkan Holly juga nyindir Lucy yang kelihatan banget memuja Lockwood. Walau begitu, gue juga suka baca bagian saat akhirnya Lockwood mau buka -bukaan tentang masa lalunya. Om Stroud cukup piawai dalam membuka lapisan bak lapisan dari tokoh - tokohnya, jadi ada character development yang cukup signifikan dan rahasia yang sedikit demi sedikit terungkap.
Tengkorak..hmm gimana yah? Gue ngerti sih kenapa banyak yang suka, tapi gue ga terlalu. Kayak komen - komen sarkas si tengkorak itu cuma buat shit and giggles aja. Walau beberapa komentarnya membantu Lucy, kebanyakan malah cuma buat ngomporin Lucy, terutama saat emosi Lucy sangat tinggi. Identitasnya pun masih tertutup dengan rapi, membuat pembaca jadi menduga - duga, selain sebagai asisten Dokter Bickerstaff (di buku 2), siapa sebenarnya tengkorak ini dan kenapa dia disimpan di dalam toples sampe akhirnya berakhir di rumah Lockwood.
Endingnya sendiri cukup membagongkan dan emang ciri khas Stroud buat mengakhiri buku dengan sedikit cliffhanger meski masalahnya udah selesai. Bikin pengen baca buku selanjutnya kan? Sayangnya walau terjemahan udah enak dibaca (Mba Poppy emang juara!), typonya masih bertebaran dimana - mana :')
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexism, Death, Grief, and Body horror
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Death of parent
totallyshelfaware's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Well, that was frustrating. So much of what I enjoyed about this book was sadly eclipsed by a character being unnecessarily vindictive towards the others.
I was very intrigued by the overall plot and like the glimpses we're seeing into the history and mechanics of this world, but the character dynamics just aren't doing it for me (so far). Which is bonkers because Jonathon Stroud executes that so well in the Bartimaeus quartet and was the driving force behind it being one of my favourite series of all time!
The setup of these books is so ripe for building genuine and deep friendships and so far we've just had each character taking turns to make bad decisions, hide information from the rest of the team and then endanger them. Why can't they just get along 😞
Here's hoping they find their feet in the next one. 🤞
I was very intrigued by the overall plot and like the glimpses we're seeing into the history and mechanics of this world, but the character dynamics just aren't doing it for me (so far). Which is bonkers because Jonathon Stroud executes that so well in the Bartimaeus quartet and was the driving force behind it being one of my favourite series of all time!
The setup of these books is so ripe for building genuine and deep friendships and so far we've just had each character taking turns to make bad decisions, hide information from the rest of the team and then endanger them. Why can't they just get along 😞
Here's hoping they find their feet in the next one. 🤞
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia
quillify_'s review
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The girl-girl rivalry was getting on my nerves but the plot (and Lockwood and George in general) made up for it. The real kicker, however, came right at the fucking end. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT PLOT TWIST, MR. STROUD????? I DEMAND FRICKIN ANSWERS. THANK GOD THIS SERIES IS COMPLETED I WOULD'VE DIED IN SHOCK OTHERWISE! Should have seen it coming though. There were plenty of hints scattered throughout.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
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