marissaann's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Infidelity and Racism
saltedsnail's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Interesting concept done horrifically poorly. I was turned off originally by the fact that it felt “written for tv” but found myself enjoying the twists and turns one comes to expect in a haunted house book … until the strangely racist cuckold fantasy of the main character was revealed. I feel there was a way to tell this story, plot beat by plot beat, well - a way to make this story more critical of the main characters self-important, racist, manipulative bullshit. The author tried to do this and absolutely did not manage it. I’d have loved to read this book if it were written by a Black author with a lot more intention towards developing out the strange horror of violent white masculinity rather than wasting time trying to make us sympathize or relate to a truly pathetic man child. The twist falls completely flat and plays into the racist tropes that it could just as well be trying to critique. Please save yourself from disappointment - massive weird incel vibes from this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual violence
ghouligan's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Don’t waste your time.
It was like the author remembered in the last third of the book that he actually needed the plot to go somewhere. The “twist” was predictable and the final twist is cheap. The author even said, in the story, it’s hard to end a haunted house novel. and the author was clearly only looking for diversity points. Lots of forced, awkward conversations about race that are not at all necessary - even more so knowing how it ends.
It was like the author remembered in the last third of the book that he actually needed the plot to go somewhere. The “twist” was predictable and the final twist is cheap. The author even said, in the story, it’s hard to end a haunted house novel.
Spoiler
There’s also one Black character in the book and he gets m*rdered
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Gore, Death, Body horror, and Alcohol
madarauchiha's review
0.25
✨🌠 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 🌠✨
Like others mentioned, the twist was pretty up front and blatant. I kept reading becaue I thought it would turn out differently.
Unfortunately no, it's a standard, deeply antiblackstory. Yes there's a Black man character and yes he does
There were more media name drops than 'Ready play one' which made the book drag on even more. Which makes all the 4 and 5 star ratings make sense. I guess if you have brain damage or fandom brain rot or only like the bottom of the barrel shit, this will seem like mindblowing stuff to you.
Despite being only, eh, 1 hour read, it felt like it dragged on to three hours.
I don't rec this book. If you're Black or PoC, skip this. You're not missing much.
Also someone else mentioned and I agree If you make your characters be racist and have the only Black character or Character of Color call them out on it for being racist, that's still racism. What the fuck is the point of that? Stupid garbage. It's not cute, it's just bad writing.
Major alcohol, amputation, asphyxiation, blood, body horror, gore, injuries, suicide, violence,
medium amputation, animal death, antiblack racism, fire, fire injury, infidelity, racism, religion christianity, self harm, sex worker murder, torture, whorephobia
minor alcohol, antisemitism swastika mention, child death, death, infidelity, murder, serophobia, sexual content, suicide, ted bundy
Like others mentioned, the twist was pretty up front and blatant. I kept reading becaue I thought it would turn out differently.
Unfortunately no, it's a standard, deeply antiblack
Spoiler
cuckold revengeSpoiler
die a horrible gruesome death. Twice even! Once off screen and then again at the end of the book!!There were more media name drops than 'Ready play one' which made the book drag on even more. Which makes all the 4 and 5 star ratings make sense. I guess if you have brain damage or fandom brain rot or only like the bottom of the barrel shit, this will seem like mindblowing stuff to you.
Despite being only, eh, 1 hour read, it felt like it dragged on to three hours.
I don't rec this book. If you're Black or PoC, skip this. You're not missing much.
Also someone else mentioned and I agree If you make your characters be racist and have the only Black character or Character of Color call them out on it for being racist, that's still racism. What the fuck is the point of that? Stupid garbage. It's not cute, it's just bad writing.
Major alcohol, amputation, asphyxiation, blood, body horror, gore, injuries, suicide, violence,
medium amputation, animal death, antiblack racism, fire, fire injury, infidelity, racism, religion christianity, self harm, sex worker murder, torture, whorephobia
minor alcohol, antisemitism swastika mention, child death, death, infidelity, murder, serophobia, sexual content, suicide, ted bundy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Racism, Blood, Body horror, and Infidelity
Moderate: Racism, Infidelity, Torture, Self harm, Animal death, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual content, Suicide, and Child death
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