confused_hamburger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.5
Unfortunately this is probably the weakest book in the series so far for me. John Cleaver just doesn't work as well when he's with a team, and the conversion to a more spy-like genre didn't feel right for this series. I had a very hard time trying to get used to the various changes made, and missed the setting of the other three books. John Cleaver's character is still pretty enjoyable here, but he's lost a lot of the sociopathic tendencies that made him so interesting. Can sociopaths love? I don't know, I'm not a psychologist, but they probably can't, right? However, despite these flaws, it's still a pretty enjoyable time, with some interesting new villains.
jenibus's review against another edition
I apparently don't care about John when all the characters I cared about died in book 3 or were put into a coma.
eeclayton's review against another edition
4.0
John Wayne Cleaver -- what a believable character, what an authentic voice. Never a forced description, just the right amount of philosophy/psychology. It's the fourth book and there are still surprises. In the story, there're twists, but no wtf moments whatsoever. I really enjoyed the ride and I'm looking forward to the next installment. Well done, Mr. Wells.
moonbowbooks's review against another edition
2.0
me ha dado bloqueo y lo único bueno han sido los últimos dos capitulos
adamkull's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
dragontomes2000's review against another edition
5.0
Well that was an action packed and bloody continuation to the John Cleaver series. The added cast was a nice touch and Dan Wells brought them in as if they were always a part of the series. I think the stakes in this one were so much higher then previous books. Especially with how everything came to an end. I don't even know how to really review this for you guys since this is the fourth book but man oh man was that a mind boggling ending. John Cleaver has become one of my new favorite characters because of the fact that he is struggling with APD and Dan Wells does such a great job at handling the mental illness aspect of his books. We even get to see the effects of Dissociative Identity Disorder which is also handled and dealt with very well. I am trying to take my time with this series but each book is like adrenaline for me and I just want more. Really saddened by the fact that there are only 2 more books to read!
malorykiyomi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
Love the realistic teenage snark in this main character. I'm also a big fan of the evolving lore of this supernatural thrill ride. The plot reveals are well foreshadowed without making it too overt. There is a bit of suspended disbelief that needs to go into accepting that in a group that acknowledges the Withered exists our 17 y/o protagonist is the only one who can profile them. But it's well done enough I'm willing to believe it for as long as the narrative remains compelling. And it was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Gore
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Domestic abuse
claudiereads's review against another edition
5.0
Thickening plot, new game-changing reveals, and moral dilemmas galore — looks like the second half of this series will be even better than the first three books.
First person POV has never been my favorite, and I kind of expected it to get tiring right about now, but nope — John’s head is such a weird place to be; I don’t want to ever leave! The dichotomy of his character is so masterfully shown here… I can’t get enough.
Just to be clear: I loved this. The new killer was damn scary, even before he showed his true colors. I really enjoyed the chase, as always — Dan Wells writes a good thriller. What I did not love were John’s new coworkers (especially Nathan, that little bastard…) and I can’t say I was bothered by their fate.
And that ending! Whew, it gave me chills.
First person POV has never been my favorite, and I kind of expected it to get tiring right about now, but nope — John’s head is such a weird place to be; I don’t want to ever leave! The dichotomy of his character is so masterfully shown here… I can’t get enough.
Just to be clear: I loved this. The new killer was damn scary, even before he showed his true colors. I really enjoyed the chase, as always — Dan Wells writes a good thriller. What I did not love were John’s new coworkers (especially Nathan, that little bastard…) and I can’t say I was bothered by their fate.
And that ending! Whew, it gave me chills.