vegfashionista's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of those extremely hard to classify books. It was an enjoyable read and kept me engaged— though was an eclectic and bizarre experience. If you are in the right head space (ready to accept chewy prose, with some tongue-in-cheek pretentiousness, and mystery with a lot of existential philosophy and wild shifts throughout) this is for you.
maudee's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
mina's review against another edition
i really liked the musings on identity/self but got very lost in the sci-fi/action bits
bex4dayz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Child abuse, Violence, Pedophilia, Child death, and Suicide
raeyaao's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? No
3.75
aggbutterfly's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
i think i was just a bit confused about what happened in the book. like the whole thing about being a monarch and the institution just didnt make sense to me, i wish there was more on it. i like the myths in the book. it was an interesting premise i just think most of it flew over my head?
its_fuct's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
geofroggatt's review against another edition
4.0
I was so excited to read this book, the cover and premise immediately drew me in. After waking up with a strange taste in her mouth and mysterious bruises, former child pageant star Jessica Clink unwittingly begins an investigation into a nefarious deep state underworld. Equipped with the eccentric education of her father, Dr. Clink (a professor of Boredom Studies and the founder of an elite study group known as the Devil’s Workshop), Jessica uncovers a disquieting connection between her former life as a beauty queen and an offshoot of Project MKUltra known as MONARCH. As Jessica moves closer to the truth, she begins to suspect the involvement of everyone around her, including her own mother, Grethe (a Norwegian pageant queen turned occult American wellness guru for suburban housewives). With the help of Christine (her black-lipsticked riot grrrl babysitter and confidante), Jessica sets out to take down Project MONARCH. More importantly, she must discover if her first love, fellow teen queen Veronica Marshall, was genuine or yet another deep state plant. The narration and the writing style was immediately satisfying and intriguing. I loved the author’s way with words and how she described things. I loved the narrative voice and the memorable lines. The first half of the story is an interesting character study and origin story, even if I wanted the pacing to pick up a bit towards the end of the first half. The second part of the story delves deeper into the main premise and I loved how it explored the ramifications of the protagonist’s unique upbringing and environment. I was growing tired of the slow introspection of the first half of the novel, but the story immediately picked up the pace and action in the second half of the story. All the characters became more lifelike and colourful in the second half and the story became deeper and darker. I loved the character explorations and the examination of the protagonist’s psyche. This story really explored the deeper and darker idea of girls being programmed into becoming sleeper agents, how entire lives were made and destroyed all for somebody else’s secret agenda. The idea that a child could be groomed into becoming a sleeper agent and then thrown away or forgotten when they’ve fulfilled their purpose is terrifying and grim. I liked how this story explored what happens to a sleeper agent after they’ve outlived their purpose and mission. I like how this book explored the idea of girls being programmed by society and girls being programmed as sleeper agents. I like how this story explored that metaphor while also telling the story of a literal sleeper agent. The ending wasn’t as action packed and climactic as I was expecting but I thought that the somber tone and bleak vibe fit well with everything that came before it. While I felt like this book didn’t turn out the way that I had hoped it would, I appreciate it for how it chose to tell its story. This book would make an excellent movie and I hope to see it on the big screen one day.
juliana18's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
jackilegs's review against another edition
4.0
A premise that seems very surface level and light however this book was actually surprisingly profound. Still reeling and trying to process, this one will definitely need a re-read.