klubbgodis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I am definitly team manuscript because even though I know it would be hard to swim to the shore with two kids it would be possible and especially if you are a mother and especielly if you are a mother who has already lost a child. And it's just f*cked up that she didn't tell anyone that she was back, why would anyone do that. I get that she was scared because of Jeremy but a sane person would have tried to talk to him.
Overall this book was amazing and I totally get the hype. I really didn't see the letter being about what it was and it was just beautifully written by Hoover and it's amazing with how she came up with all of this.
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Murder, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion, Car accident, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Cancer
scarlettoliver'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Child death, Blood, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Car accident, Injury/injury detail, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Ableism, and Abortion
Minor: Cancer, Rape, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Vomit, Miscarriage, Cursing, Drug use, and Gaslighting
l_lilly_05'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 death, Murder, Grief, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Vomit, Violence, Infidelity, and Car accident
Minor: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Cancer, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Miscarriage
boatjo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Grief, Body shaming, and Abortion
Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, and Medical trauma
romanoffsbatons'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Murder, Cursing, Grief, and Kidnapping
elinak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Car accident, Abortion, Blood, and Pregnancy
Minor: Kidnapping, Medical content, Miscarriage, Injury/injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts
jennsliterature'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: Death, Murder, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Gore, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Suicide, Stalking, Medical content, Kidnapping, Infertility, and Abortion
mheiling'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Abortion, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Cursing, Death of parent, Child abuse, Death, Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Kidnapping and Vomit
mandi4886'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
3.0
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, Cursing, and Kidnapping
maggies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoiler
And as someone who does not enjoy ambiguous endings, the part of me that just wanted to know what happened was left pretty dissatisfied.I would quibble with a few plot points, which are major spoilers:
Spoiler
1. No one would be able to fake a vegetative state like that without help. Either Jeremy and Verity were in on it together (for some ungodly reason) and hired the nurses to keep the ruse going, or Jeremy is a credulous knob.
2. It took Lowen like more than two weeks to read the manuscript, and that is just...too long. I can kind of understand that, because the subject matter is horrifying, it might be difficult to continue reading at certain points, but Lowen was hired to get into Verity's mind and complete her best-selling series in her voice and style. What better way than to read what, to your knowledge, is essentially a diary? Lowen was able to read the other books in the series within a couple days (max), so she should have been able to read the manuscript that quickly as well. To be clear, I'm not sure how different the outcome would have been if she'd read it more quickly, but it wasn't realistic to me.
3. Related annoyance: I wanted to learn more about this amazing and beloved series! We didn't get any insight about it whatsoever and that was disappointing.
All in all, I read it in almost one sitting, which should count for something, but I'm not exactly happy to have read it. I think the amazing, fawning reviews are a bit overblown - it just lacks the intrigue and innovation of Jane Eyre or Rebecca or (I can't believe I'm saying this) Gone Girl. The sex scenes were hot though, and I'm not embarrassed 🥵🌶🌶🌶
The content warnings are going to be spoiler-y, but I really really recommend arming yourself before reading.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Medical content, Abortion, Car accident, Violence, Vomit, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, and Grief
Minor: Kidnapping and Mental illness