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wilharmonic's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Drug abuse
Minor: Incest and Pregnancy
itsy719's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, and Pregnancy
brinotbrie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Suicide and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Incest, Rape, and Pregnancy
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Self harm, Suicide, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
ermw0's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Again, we are told that Sister Holiday knows her stuff and is effective. Even the actual investigators somewhat trust her. But I can see why they don't really, she's not very good at it.
Prince Dempsey - I don't even know where to begin with this character. His entire lawsuit and plot was dropped, so we have no resolution with that. I was annoyed with this since Sister Holliday spent so much time obsessing over him as a suspect. And then his random trial for a different crime (and car chase lol) felt like Prince was going to be a big player, but he was also duped by Sister Holiday and just a traumatized boy lashing out.
Rosemary - was a background character with slight tinges of suspicion but then veers suddenly into a "are we about to kiss rn" scenes with Sister Holiday? This felt shoehorned in, I wish they did more with her.
Nina - she didn't need to come to New Orleans at all. I actually liked her better as a memory, because the effect on Sister Holiday was so much more potent! Then you bring this character back for a tiny scene of zero consequence that could be removed from the book with no changes. Wish they kept her in the past.
Bernard - he was giving off a little creepy vibes towards the end by copying SH's neckerchief and getting the Judith tattoo and insisting SH get one too. It felt like this was building to something, but he's just there.
Sister Augustine - so she is the one who was setting the fires, accidentally killed John but did kill Sister T. I do not understand her motives at all and was confused and underwhelmed that she was the perpetrator? And then SH just lets her go? And then Sister Augustine accidentally (after trying to purposefully) lights herself on fire and dies? What? That ending was wild (not in a good way.)
There's so much more about this book I could write. I'm not sure if having this much to say and somewhat critique means I didn't enjoy the book, or I cared so much I wanted it to be as great as it can be. The book's interpretation on religion, especially as it applies to a queer woman, is very interesting and refreshing. I loved Sister Holiday as a character, I haven't read anyone like her before. I will definitely follow this series but I hope the sequel tightens up or at least continues the threads that were dropped off here.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Homophobia, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Pregnancy
evadaisy's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
simkei's review
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Hate crime, Self harm, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Biphobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment
laketwentytwo'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
3.25
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Incest, Rape, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
ecn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
The mystery was easily predictable and not a single character was likeable. The story also (unsurprisingly) felt VERY white bc no non-white characters felt fully developed or interesting. There was also *no* mention about police brutality in regards to race - ONLY to queer people - which felt insane not to include given the fact that a young Black student was a suspect the entire time. I’m super disappointed in the author for not having any insight to that.
My last complaint was that the entire thing was also extremely cis-centered (as in transness wasn’t even a THOUGHT to the life of the MC which is always suspicious when the person is a ~feminist lesbian (potential terf?))
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Biphobia, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
egmamaril's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Homophobia and Rape
Minor: Child abuse, Sexism, and Pregnancy