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uncreativeoops's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Very gothic: atmospheric, lots of pretty words, very descriptive, confusing, possible supernatural entities that might be metaphors, fucked up families
Also fantastiv use of an unreliable narrator who wasn't always likeable and made it very hard to follow the plot but you don't read gothic novels for the plot anyways
Also fantastiv use of an unreliable narrator who wasn't always likeable and made it very hard to follow the plot but you don't read gothic novels for the plot anyways
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
rebeltheflow's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5 stars!
The first chapter will have you lost and tempted to quit but keep reading it’s so worth it! This is a fictionalized memoir about a women with schizophrenia who gets obsessed & delusional-y attached to old art, old folklore, old news clippings, etc. all these stories she thinks, this can’t be a coincidence and hallucinates a character made of all her fixations (maybe). She meets a women (maybe in July maybe in November) who is maybe a siren & maybe a werewolf but definitely a ghost (except maybe not a ghost). Yeah if you can tell it gets confusing and a bit difficult to read, but it’s an accurate and interesting portrayal of the mixed realities and false memories often found in people living with schizophrenia. I personally am diagnosed with schizophrenia and found it to be written tastefully though I’m not sure if the author is actually diagnosed or not.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first chapter will have you lost and tempted to quit but keep reading it’s so worth it! This is a fictionalized memoir about a women with schizophrenia who gets obsessed & delusional-y attached to old art, old folklore, old news clippings, etc. all these stories she thinks, this can’t be a coincidence and hallucinates a character made of all her fixations (maybe). She meets a women (maybe in July maybe in November) who is maybe a siren & maybe a werewolf but definitely a ghost (except maybe not a ghost). Yeah if you can tell it gets confusing and a bit difficult to read, but it’s an accurate and interesting portrayal of the mixed realities and false memories often found in people living with schizophrenia. I personally am diagnosed with schizophrenia and found it to be written tastefully though I’m not sure if the author is actually diagnosed or not.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Transphobia and Death of parent
iamastraythought's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
3.0
I really just wasn't a fan of this book. It was a fast read, but so much of the language used made me a tad uncomfortable. I'm not sure why, I've certainly read worse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Sexual content and Transphobia
arfranklin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.75
This book is a bit of a tough read because it’s told from the very disorienting perspective of a very unreliable narrator— but once I was able to somewhat find my bearings, I became worth the mental work. A unique, unsettling, beautiful book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
eviecate's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Upon rereading I think this is one of my new favorites. The Drowning Girl permeated the very corners of my brain so much so that I bought a physical copy. I was able to dissect the story more and fell in love with the prose and the slowly unraveling narrative. This style is definitely not for everyone but I wasn't as frustrated the second time through.
Initial Review Nov 2021:
4.5 Stars
I think this book may be beyond my understanding. It is a fictionalized memoir about an unreliable narrator with non-linear storytelling. The core story of the story is very interesting and I listened to the audiobook in two days, however, I got lost in this book and not in a good way. The way that the narrator processes events is through stories she rights and it became difficult for me to tell what was a story and what was actually part of the narrative. The book is beautifully written and I found myself immersed in India's life as she told it. This is a book you really have to pay attention to and I don’t think I did enough to fully comprehend it.
I am still not sure if Eva Canning is real or just a figment of India's mind. I thought that she was just a ghost but the evidence suggests that at least some events are real. I don't think the audience is supposed to know exactly what's real and to an extent I get that. I do wish that the differentiation between the different Eva Canning's was more clear. Additionally, some of the way that Adalyn's trans identity is used as thematic symbolism seems unnecessary and dated. Imp seems to misunderstand this aspect of her and It frustrates me.
Initial Review Nov 2021:
4.5 Stars
I think this book may be beyond my understanding. It is a fictionalized memoir about an unreliable narrator with non-linear storytelling. The core story of the story is very interesting and I listened to the audiobook in two days, however, I got lost in this book and not in a good way. The way that the narrator processes events is through stories she rights and it became difficult for me to tell what was a story and what was actually part of the narrative. The book is beautifully written and I found myself immersed in India's life as she told it. This is a book you really have to pay attention to and I don’t think I did enough to fully comprehend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Forced institutionalization
elisworld's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
lycanhood's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
bookivore's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
An interesting book but one I can't really say I enjoyed. It's somewhat disjointed, confusing, and repetitive in places, and I know it's meant to be like that, but it was a struggle to get through it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide attempt