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acechemicals's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I imagine this would be a helpful feature for people who aren't familiar with trans existence, but for the rest of us, it's a little tedious to have the ins and outs of trans life 101 explained nearly every other chapter. That said, it's nice that the negatives aren't shied away from OR exaggerated (the way they are in so many novels about trans characters) and Erin gets to embrace joy in those that love, accept, and understand her.
The mystery is compelling, and because of multiple perspectives, as readers we get to put the pieces together way before anyone in the story does, which is a lot of fun! There's also a wonderful sense of tension combined with knowing that everything will turn out alright in the end.
There's a lot of exposition, especially for a sequel, that makes it feel a little less readable, but it's also nice to have a grab-and-go dramatic murder mystery series for trans people. Overall, the book delivers on what it promises and - with the caveat of "please check the content warnings" - I recommend it.
The mystery is compelling, and because of multiple perspectives, as readers we get to put the pieces together way before anyone in the story does, which is a lot of fun! There's also a wonderful sense of tension combined with knowing that everything will turn out alright in the end.
There's a lot of exposition, especially for a sequel, that makes it feel a little less readable, but it's also nice to have a grab-and-go dramatic murder mystery series for trans people. Overall, the book delivers on what it promises and - with the caveat of "please check the content warnings" - I recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Outing, Alcohol, and War
This book deals heavily with child sex trafficking, child sex exploitation material, and the abuse of transgender childrenlibrarianjennifer's review
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Transphobia
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
I read the first Erin McCabe book, By Way of Sorrow, a couple of days ago and thought it was really good but not necessarily great. I immediately grabbed the second in the series, Survivor’s Guilt, and I think this one is definitely great.
The characters of Erin and her law partner Swish are developed further, the story is believable (I mean, I don’t know about these things, but as a reader I found it believable), and the victims of the villains are more than sympathetic. The plot is complex without being confusing, and any technical information about computers is explained so a layman can understand.
The story is about sick people who sexually prey on children - some of it reminded me of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, but with younger victims - and the lengths those children will go to in search of escape and revenge. To be honest, part of why I liked it so much was because it had such a satisfying ending.
The next Erin McCabe book comes out in May, a month from now, and I can’t wait.
The characters of Erin and her law partner Swish are developed further, the story is believable (I mean, I don’t know about these things, but as a reader I found it believable), and the victims of the villains are more than sympathetic. The plot is complex without being confusing, and any technical information about computers is explained so a layman can understand.
The story is about sick people who sexually prey on children - some of it reminded me of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, but with younger victims - and the lengths those children will go to in search of escape and revenge. To be honest, part of why I liked it so much was because it had such a satisfying ending.
The next Erin McCabe book comes out in May, a month from now, and I can’t wait.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation
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