Scan barcode
tanm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- 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 content and Abortion
Moderate: Misogyny and Murder
basicallyki's review against another edition
1.0
what was the point? that’s what i asked myself after every potential plot point was never discussed again. the sleep walking, the obsession from three separate characters, the “is the husband a creep”, the “is the child a psycho” and everything else that was mentioned once and never again.
the twist was decent but the reaction to it and what came of it ruined it. jeremy and lowen are terrible people throughout the entire book and not once was a rooting for them individually or as a couple. every single character needs therapy and i fully believe the the author does too. her exploitation of trauma is weird, the anti choice throughout the book is excessive and impossible to ignore.
honestly i could rant forever and i’ve missed a lot of points i wanted to make in this review but i’m sure there are better ones out there that can explain it more thoroughly than i can because i want to put my phone down and forget everything about this awful experience.
over all if felt like a waste of my time. i’ve read one other book by her and after reading them both i won’t be picking up another.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Minor: Vomit
flowchelle'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
2.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
ravenclaw_percabeth'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? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
lisa_m's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
I do know, that I'm very sensitive and that books, that are as graphic as this, probably just aren't for me. Also I absolutely hate cheating in books. This book would have been so much better if there hadn't been a romance in there. I do understand though how it made the experience in the house more intense for the protagonist and how it made the ending more intense.
I don't particularily like Lowen. She was terrified even when nothing has happened yet and I feel like it was kind of unrealistic that she chose to stay in that house after reading the manuscript. I would have read the whole thing in one sitting, grabbed all my stuff and then left.
I belive she even says that the only reason she didn't was because of Jeremy. I have to admit that I kind of liked him in the beginning. He was nice to her and even in the biography he seemed like a fun and genuine person. After the ending though it kind of feels like he orchestrated the whole thing.
The romance was just weird. I feel like it wasn't at all a problem for him to cheat on his wife. Like I guess he says he feels guilty but we get to see none of it. I felt like he was flirting with her ever since he met her. (He even kind of admits that when saying he felt a connection to Lowen that was stronger than the connection to his wife had ever been in the bathroom! Like that was 5 min. after they met and coincidentally right when he sees her in just her bra? - I don't actually think that is the reason, still.) Lowen also did not feel like someone still grieving the death of her mother. The romance just felt like it was so disconnected to the rest of the story and didn't make any sense in the context.
I did think it was quite interesting to read the autobiography though. I generally really like different POVs / that every other chapter showed the past. It was disturbing but it was still interesting to see her thoughts. It's unlike anything I've ever read for sure.
I have been spoiled for the plottwists in this book but I don't think it took away too much. I think I would have expected it anyways. Also the letter in the end was a truly great ending. I do not like Lowen and the way she acted throughout the book but especially the end was just weird.
Some of the book reminded me of a modern Jane Eyre. I mean he's rich and has a child to take care of, he hires her and she lives with him, there is his wife (locked up) in the 'attic'... I do not particularily like Mr. Rochester either so I guess my feelings towards the two books are similar. (Jane Eyre is better though)
I did read it all in one sitting though so I guess it couldn't have been that bad. I was completely captivated. I sometimes didn't want to continue and get it over with but sometimes I was genuinly intruiged. I have way more thought on this book than that but I don't really want to think about this book anymore. I don't think it's written badly and I liked the format. The story was alright and I don't like the 'romance'. I get why people like this book but if you're sensitive when reading about neglected children and abuse be careful when reading this. I would definitely tell anyone thinking about reading this to check out the trigger warnings first.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
k8lynn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, and Gaslighting
planetaery's review against another edition
Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Lowen kinkshames her ex and acts like no one should be into that(even though the book hints at potentially a sexual relationship with Jeremy that doesn't seem as vanilla as she'd like everyone else to have), and later on reading Verity's autobiography (warning for anti-choice comments)krystinawithay's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Car accident
morimortis'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
0.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
mallory10100'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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Fatphobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
i highly recommend checking this one out if you think you can handle it, i’m still in shock