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annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
cover design review: ★★★☆☆. intriguing at first glance, i like the yellow background and the texture and shadows of the paint strokes within the face, but other than that it's eh. this is not representative of the book i just read
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Fatphobia, Infertility, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Abortion, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation
re: animal cruelty and death: it's insects if that makes a differencekikicochrane's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
As other reviewers have mentioned, this is a slow burn and the lack of enjoying the characters for their personalities does make it feel longer than the book actually is. I agree with the other reviewer that the publisher did a disservice for this being categorized as a thriller rather than a family mystery saga.
Overall I enjoyed this read, the story came together at the end and the reason why Estella murdered her entire family became clear. I especially liked how Tsao was able to weave the story behind Bagatelle throughout the story.
Content Warning: Themes of domestic abuse primarily psychological and emotional are strong themes in this novel.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Dementia
Moderate: Eating disorder, Infertility, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Racism