Reviews tagging 'Blood'

A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin

7 reviews

hmetwade's review

emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism

alyssard's review against another edition

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I WISH this book was better. I had such high hopes for this book, the concept was electric to me and I feel like instead of delivering on the concept I was given half the concept and half a fantasy. I think if the concept of social hierarchy and the fantasy aspects were separated from each other into two separate books about the same thing, they could be great, but together, it fell so flat.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Body horror

itschelseaw's review

funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I appreciated the twist in the story, but overall it felt a little meh compared to the expectations I had for the book. I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I had gone in knowing nothing rather than a general “Oh this was a buzzy book last year that I’ve been wanting to read!”
Also weird to read this after The Wing formally closed as I believe that’s what it was modeled after (at least in part).

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use and Blood

yeojinqueen's review

4.25

the ending (as in the last chapter) really just kind of took me out of the story tbh

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

kylieqrada's review

mysterious medium-paced

• 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

3.0

This was a good middle of the road read! I liked the discussion of wealth and privilege. I would have loved it if the author had *went there* and talked about white feminism. I was engaged when I was reading it, but once I put it down, I felt very meh. Overall, not mad at it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Infidelity, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Misogyny, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

trailmixraisins's review

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious sad medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

A funny, conversational critique of rich white feminism. It's easy to tell what the characters are thinking and feeling most of the time, and the love interest was a little predictable, but otherwise it was intriguing and surprisingly emotional.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

sarahholliday's review

funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.0

The last 20% of this book saved it for me. Up until that point, I vacillated between sympathizing with Jillian and her disdain for the elite women of the Nevertheless club, and getting tired of hearing Jillian's rantings without any suggestion of how to do better.

But then...

The "plot twist" mid-way through the story didn't come as much of a surprise. What did catch me off guard was the ending. Seeing Jillian develop a nuanced understanding of class dynamics and individual responsibility kept the story from becoming overly moralistic or judgmental. I could've done with more of that nuance sooner, but in the end I think A Special Place for Women is a funny, entertaining, smart, snarky take on modern womanhood, notions of sisterhood, and class dynamics.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood