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anna_reads_too_much's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Alcohol
helliepad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
What I love most about the stories is how kind it is to women, and the relationships they formed. The main characters have been assassins for over four decades. I love the little bits of history, of grief from dead people and love at the wrong time. There are sexually active old women, a heavily pregnant woman in charge of heavy operations, a teenage girl doing her best, a childless woman who survived their partner, a childless woman with her wife and their cat, a childless woman who chose career over love— and they weren't shamed by the narrative for their characters. Indeed, there weren't any serious academic discussions about sexism and misogyny and ageism although the women do experience it, and yet it doesn't matter because that's not the point of the book.
The point of the book was to show these senior citizens bludgeon and lie and cheat and work together to get their rightful pensions– and the book delivers beautifully on that end. 👏
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Violence and Blood
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, and Alcohol
sleeson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
uranaishi'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Car accident, and War
xeniba's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, and Forced institutionalization
purplepenning's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexism, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cancer and Pregnancy
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abandonment and Alcohol
Minor: Antisemitism and Lesbophobia
emmdashed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
The story is executed well, it hits the beats you're looking for with this type of fiction, and does them well. The stakes are high, but the characters are smart and capable and ready to take them on. I enjoyed the dialogue and interactions of the characters. Perhaps not the most unique story but there was plenty to keep it fresh and entertaining.
My main criticism is that the book is told only from Billie's POV (with a little bit of omniscient narrator in some flashbacks). To be honest, I found Billie to be the least compelling of the main characters. I wish we could have had the story told from multiple POVs. I would have loved to hear how Mary-Alice, Natalie, and Helen were recruited; about their lives as assassins; and how they are emotionally handling the events of the actual book.
Still, all that being said I would still recommend this one if you want an assassin thriller with Heist elements, and older lady protagonists (a disappointing rarity in this kind of fiction.)
@Hollywood seriously though make this movie.
Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
3arth2kaye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer and Death