plumdustsuns'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
I think personally the book would have profited a lot from Evie being upwards of 17. While it would have taken away a bit of the hopeless lamb, but it wouldn’t have been that much. I think it would have lent to Evie and Suzanne’s relationship and Evie’s character in general.
Spoiler
There wasn’t much going on in their relationship besides Evie pining, not until Suzanne let Evie out of the car and visited her at boarding school, was some texture added. It would have made a more engaging story to have Suzanne a bit more fleshed out and receptive rather than this idealized character Evie was projecting everything onto. And the ‘connection’ she kept talking about in terms of her and Suzanne would have been justified and engaging.Aside from that, all the SA on a 14 year old and this promiscuity put upon them in literature makes me really uneasy and angry, honestly. I don’t think teenagers are ever that deliberate of sex in the way it’s presented in books like this. While it is shown that Evie is forced into it, it’s played off for the most part by her being like “oh well,” until the Mitch situation. Even that didn’t have enough anger or was presented in a bad light. I’m always aware in books of what writers project onto their characters and of what age because it is a choice, and not inspired off of true events ( entirely here anyway).
I also found it really redundant that all of this happened over a fucking record deal. I wish it was something else and the bad blood between Russel and Mitch had more weight and tension, especially for the girls. (I read up and see this is what happened in real life but just copy pasting these events without much of a weight or exploration just feels like a waste and triggering for no reason.) I wish it would have subverted the tale by instead having the girls turn on Russel somehow and kill him instead. That would have made a better story line.
I kept reading this book as it had a premise for having the opportunity to explore queerness, girlhood and the patriarchy in depth. However, besides from some insightfully written paragraphs on what it is like to be a girl, it feels rather flat in all the other departments. And it felt rather disappointing to finish this triggering book to get through with all the events just falling flat onto nothing overall and by the end.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Drug use, Rape, Blood, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
rachel24x7'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
3.0
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Murder and Cursing
Minor: Gore, Physical abuse, and Eating disorder
helenamichelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Addiction, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Classism, and Drug use
adelexmarie'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Rape, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Alcohol, and Cursing
gwenisnonbinary'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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual violence, Drug use, Body horror, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, and Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse
itsheyfay's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Blood, Infidelity, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Cursing
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Drug use, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Gore, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, and Excrement
Minor: Gaslighting, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
terrabby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Pedophilia, Murder, Domestic abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Addiction, Sexual content, Animal death, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Blood, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship
bethybooevans's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The book would have been more engaging had the focus been on the cult and the facts surrounding it.
However, the gruesome men were portrayed well and Evie’s relationship with Susanne was intriguing.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, and Bullying
jessisreading_'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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Drug use and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Physical abuse