atsundarsingh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I wanted so much to know what happened at every step of this novel. The fact that so much remains a mystery is both annoying and alluring. Still, the narrator has such a compelling voice, and I loved that the author's note gives further people to look for and read about, as well as partially explaining who Walker was influenced by in the creation of this work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Confinement
confetticleric's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Death, Grief, and Misogyny
Minor: Car accident, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Rape
qi_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.75
didn't expect to like this as much since it look a second to get into the plot but once the ball was rolling, i was hooked. the plot was so unique and i loved how sarai walker structured the uncovering of each detail (it felt like she was spreading out a bit rather than just dumping it)
it grapples with so many relevant themes that interest me (motherhood, feminism, relationships, grief, etc.) in an accessible and natural way. the prose was well written and it really able to shine once in the latter part of the book with the descriptions of art.
my one gripe was that there were some lags in the story that meandered too long between impactful plot points, in my opinion. especially in in the last section of the book. the pacing slowed way down and the weight of the events beforehand kind of fizzled out (if that makes sense).
other than that really enjoyed the story and thank you for the arc !
it grapples with so many relevant themes that interest me (motherhood, feminism, relationships, grief, etc.) in an accessible and natural way. the prose was well written and it really able to shine once in the latter part of the book with the descriptions of art.
my one gripe was that there were some lags in the story that meandered too long between impactful plot points, in my opinion. especially in in the last section of the book. the pacing slowed way down and the weight of the events beforehand kind of fizzled out (if that makes sense).
other than that really enjoyed the story and thank you for the arc !
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Car accident and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
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