wytherwytch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So I have really wrestled with reading the Strike series after everyone saying at how transphobic JK is. I have tried to educate myself on this matter to understand it. While I do understand some concerns - mainly surrounding the women's shelter that JK funds - I also think that the argument as it were is more nuanced than the majority give credit. I wish it something more open to discussion - the downside of cancel culture is that it takes away the ability to discuss, to understand, to find middle ground. But none of this is about the book so I digress - apologies
I recovered my guilt from reading this while crying about the storyline involving Strike's Aunt Joan. It was powerful and relatable.
My main criticism of this series is that the books are so long but a lot happened in this one and I have idea where I would have cut any of it. It was a joy to read. It made me laugh, and cry. Brilliant stuff.
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Death of parent, Death, and Cancer
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
stirlitza's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Violence, Sexual violence, Death, and Rape
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Abortion, Torture, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault
lindcherry'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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Rape, Abortion, and Miscarriage
camilla_perotti's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Death, and Torture
Moderate: Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Classism, Abortion, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Racism and Racial slurs
dorsetreader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Grief, Mental illness, and Misogyny
Moderate: Cancer, Infertility, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Addiction, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Abortion, and Blood
lukerik's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Rape, and Death
Minor: Abortion
alexandra_a_a's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Child death, Child abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Addiction, Racism, Ableism, Misogyny, and Abortion
jhbandcats'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? Yes
4.5
~~~~~~~
I couldn’t figure out why it was taking me so long to make any progress in the electronic version and then I realized the paper version is 900+ pages long. I loved every page. I think Rowling is a great writer, creating an intriguing plot and complex characters, doing a surprising amount of research on detailed locations and with complicated astrology / Zodiac info. Her pacing is great - she always adds a bit of humor when the tension is getting to be close to unbearable.
I fear I’m not articulating just how much I loved this book. I have been a big fan of the Cormoran Strike series since I read the first one.
Graphic: Terminal illness, Vomit, Alcohol, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Confinement, Murder, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Misogyny, Rape, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, and Torture
katie_noelani's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Cancer, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
sauvageloup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Pros:
- Rowling is an exceptional writer; the complicated but satisfying plot, the mixture of straightforward tone interspersed with moments of lyrical descriptions and reflection, the characterisation and development, the slowly eked out relationship development, the depth of every single side character, how each character's dialogue is made distinct and accents rendered realistically, the research that's clearly gone into it... just so much to admire in the actual writing and her skill.
- I like Robin and Strike and many of the other side characters. They feel real and Rowling puts across their emotions very well. There's a very real feeling of being as harried and pressured as Strike clearly is with everything piling up and then the release at the end.
- the plot was complex but wrapped up very neatly at the end. It was complicated by various characters' mixed motives but it didn't feel forced.
Cons:
- My only complaint about the writing was that it was *massively* confusing at the beginning. SO. MANY. NAMES. Got super confused. Also later on completely forgot who
Spoiler
Joanna Hammond- Rowling's views... Rowling as a person... that was just in my head the whole time I was reading.
- her views then come through in this book, more than the others I think. This is the first book to come out post Rowling revealing herself as a massive transphobe and I think there's a lot of elements of that that come through in this.
-
Spoiler
There's the killer, Creed, dressing up in women's clothes to lull his victims into a sense of security, which is the most transphobic bit. Then there's a good bit of fatphobia in there with obvious scorn and disgust angled towards fat people, including Creed being obese. A point I hated a lot was when it's made fun of that Irene has IBS. The condition is given to an already dislikeable character and it's encouraging the reader to laugh at her during that whole episode, which I thought was really cruel. No-one, however dislikeable, should be subject to mockery because of a chronic and painful medical condition. There were other bits too and I can't speak for disabled people but I wasn't sure how some of the portrayals of disabled people would come off to them. Then there's points where I felt that Rowling was hammering home other points, about women's safety, about Robin's rape, about domestic abuse, manipulative men, feminism, and about people who arguing for changing language rather than actually making a difference (the students Strike has a rant at in Max's flat over a so called 'slutwalk'). None of that was wrong, but I felt it linked back to Rowling's perception of herself within the world.Anyway, the book was written excellently, but Rowling is a piece of shit. Unfortunately, I am also very jealous of her writing abilities and wish they'd been given to someone more worthy.
Graphic: Rape, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny
Minor: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Chronic illness, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy