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attackrat's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
I do think this could have leaned into its own elements of horror a bit more, as I was uncomfortable any time I thought about the situation she was in but not quite horrified. it’s often compared to Annihilation which I can see but it doesn’t quite get there. it has the pieces but doesn’t quite go all the way, which honestly? I didn’t really mind. I just don’t think it should be compared to Annihilation. I loved this book and its atmospheric tension, I loved the characters and how they interacted and changed each other. I just think if you went into it expecting a horror book it might disappoint you. me personally? I was here for the girlies and the caves so I did notttt care
Graphic: Drug use, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
contains fully submerged diving, mentions of being crushed or killed in caves or while underwater, and drowningleweylibrary'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
1.75
AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical trauma
keen'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
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
theqwerty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
hayleyham's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
directorpurry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Medical content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Death of parent and Abandonment
kylieqrada's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Medical content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
archaicrobin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Gyre is underground in a cave on another planet fulfilling a very expensive, well paid, secretive caving job for her abrasive employer Em. As Gyre gets deeps into the cave things start going worse and worse. Soon she’s struggling to not just survive, but to make it back to the surface in one piece.
This book had so much potential! I love survival horror, space horror, and caving stories because I find them so terrifying! This one had ghosts, weird alien worms called tunnelers, and an antagonist that is complicated and Gyre’s key to survival. All the pieces were there but the execution was not.
While Gyre was a great character it was hard to relate to the other main character Em who is responsible for Gyre’s plight and her reasons for it are dumb and pretty nonsensical. The author tries to make it sound like her motives have a meaning but honestly they don’t and it makes her incredibly unlikeable and impossible to relate to.
Also, the forced romance between Gyre and Em I found really gross. Stockholm syndrome does not equal love, and the fact that this unnecessary abusive and toxic relationship was even a thing, just sat very wrong with me. Gyre would be in a horrific situation and thinking about Em and how she cares for her despite all the abuse Em dishes out. I don’t like novels that glorify toxic or abusive relationships, and this one was so off the rails and really not necessary.
In addition, this book is so long and slow with nothing really sci fi going on beyond the suit and these tunnelers that we don’t see until the end of the book and only for a page. The pacing is far too slow, with a majority of the book being climbing and traversal of the cave intermixed with Em and Gyre’s interactions, and Gyre’s slowly unraveling sanity which made this a hard one to get through for me. In the end it wasn’t even worth it because the ending was so anti climactic and again just kinda gross due to the toxic relationship here.
This one had so much potential and was honestly a big disappointment.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
krystaldelusion'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
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Deeply chillingbrioches22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Death of parent