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loli_ren'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Gaslighting
lollybee'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
5.0
Cormoran and Robin are employed to investigate a cult, with the purpose of extricating their client's son from its clutches.
This was an excellent read: gradually building the tension towards a gripping ending.
Well worth a read.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
laverrrne'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
mhickman23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fatphobia, Genocide, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and War
sauvageloup's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
pros:
- the cult setting was extremely well done, very frightening and sinister and the traumatic effect on Robin and the others was obvious in their reactions. It definitely made you think about the horrors of cults.
- sadly J.K. is a talented writer and the pacing and characters are very good, with the complicated plot coming together and the characters growing throughout, to a degree.
cons
- the plot did feel too complicated towards the end as I struggled to keep straight who certain people were, including Graves and Abigail and some others. Would probably reward a reread.
- Strike was a bit annoying in this book, as he seemed naive/careless about the torment Robin went through (which though well addressed as it was happening and immediately after, seemed to be forgotten as the plot came together at the end), his jealousy towards Murphy is tiring, and his lack of action towards Robin gets frustrating.
- J.K. is clearly also making a point about how the law hesitates to go against people for PC reasons and overly tip toeing around sensitive issues, like religious freedom and people living differently. Strike snidely says 'live and let live' to criticise the cult. I think she is doing a subtle dig here towards trans people and their rights.
but overall another compelling Robin and Strike novel, probably the one that gripped me most so far with the scary cult plot.
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol
All the content warnings here, very dark.ksilvio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Abortion, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Self harm, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Abandonment
rnbhargava's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Classism
There’s murder, sexual coercion and assault on underaged and of age characters mentioned and suggested. There’s drowning, confinement in tight, restrictive spaces, there’s mental and physical manipulation and torture. There’s hired hit men and lurkers. The plot has to do with a controversial cult that uses a lot of cultural appropriation of Asian religions and philosophies in the cult’s supposed doctrine. There are also scenes and depictions of endangering small children’s welfare. Cult characters assault female characters quite obviously as well. There are characters with mental and physical health problems. There’s suicide and murder. Look at the triggers.gemin1reader's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Dementia, Trafficking, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Vomit and Car accident
greenlucy50'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? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Medical trauma, and Murder
marlisenicole's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia