notartgarfunkel'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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Murder, Racism, Violence, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Police brutality, and Drug abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse
pj_steph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Classism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Medical content, Injury/injury detail, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Racism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol and Police brutality
wackly93's review
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Classism, Torture, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Police brutality, Murder, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, and Medical content
Minor: Slavery
jojo_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Grief, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Medical content
Minor: Genocide, Suicide, Alcohol, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Slavery
mandi_lea's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Classism, Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Police brutality, Suicide, Death, Kidnapping, Confinement, Medical trauma, and Torture
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Infidelity, and Panic attacks/disorders
arminam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Medical content
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Alcohol
dcm7918's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Drug use, Medical trauma, Addiction, Death of parent, Medical content, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Racism
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Classism, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Torture, and Sexual content
taelights's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I loved the general concept and what we found out was going on was very interesting and fucked up. However, it took forever to get to that element of the book and nothing really seemed to happen until the later 75% of the book. There seemed to be way too much filler in this book and not enough of the payoff. In fact it felt like there wasn't a true conclusion to the book at all with it stopping abruptly and the epilogue leaving so many unanswered questions.
Sydney I thought was underdeveloped and I hated Theo. His POV was always so annoying to read and I thought he was a major creep. Like he's always watching Sydney in the apartment across the street and getting boners for her and acting like a teenage boy going through puberty with how often he's getting horny for her and it's like dude.... Yet he's supposed to be seen in a good light and as like the only non racist and non threatening white person who moved in…. Yikes. Like sure he's not part of the overall group of bad guys but. The bar is in hell.
The romance between Sydney and Theo was unbearable too. Like I hated them together and thought Theo didn't deserve her and her suddenly wanting him after treating him like a crap until they hooked up made the romance make zero sense. So much of the book is developing this boring gross romance though. Like I know now that this author is a romance author trying her hand at thrillers but my god this seemed like a romance with a side of a fucked up plan featuring gentrification and racism rather than an actual thriller.
I didn't vibe with the writing style. I saw someone say it read like a YA and I kind of agree. The characters felt very immature and Theo's especially it felt like reading a teenager's POV.
Overall this thriller really disappointed me and was lacking in so many areas. I have way more complaints about this book than praise unfortunately.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Sexual content, Stalking, Terminal illness, Violence, Addiction, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Colonisation and Cultural appropriation
persimmons's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Stalking, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Blood, Xenophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting, Genocide, Drug abuse, and Cultural appropriation
jenn_reads'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: Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, and Racism
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Infidelity
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
Gentrification