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baiday's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.75
I don’t know how I feel about this book. I finished it yesterday, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I’m just turning the characters over in my mind and replaying the story again and again, and I just don’t know what to think. Maybe that was the point?
I feel like this story was definitely marketed the wrong way. They really capitalized on the “sinister cult” aspect but as far as cults go this one wasn’t sinister at all. It was just odd and rural and almost get like a caricature of extremely isolated religious communities. Just without the religion. So it felt strange and disjointed at times.
I enjoyed it for sure, but I kept expecting a bigger twist then what I got, and while the affair between Billie Jean and Supernatural and all the subsequent details, the baby sister who was really his daughter, the fact that The Heavy was his father was a twist it was given so much more gravity then I think it deserved.
Maybe I’m crazy, but I was expecting the storyline about the blood drawing or the it not really being 1985 to be more of a big deal but it was kind of just glazed over.
The synopsis made it seem like there was something really dark going on within the cult, but in reality it was just messed up family drama that didn’t need the setting of the cult to begin with.
I wish the author had chosen one or the other to write about. Either focus the story on the family or dive deeper into the mythos and lore of the cult. She left so much on the table when it came to what the cult was doing, why they were there and their mysterious leader and his ideologies.
Although I really enjoyed it, I just feel like my attention was divided while reading this book, and I was left wanting more.
I feel like this story was definitely marketed the wrong way. They really capitalized on the “sinister cult” aspect but as far as cults go this one wasn’t sinister at all. It was just odd and rural and almost get like a caricature of extremely isolated religious communities. Just without the religion. So it felt strange and disjointed at times.
I enjoyed it for sure, but I kept expecting a bigger twist then what I got, and while the
Maybe I’m crazy, but I was expecting the storyline about
The synopsis made it seem like there was something really dark going on within the cult, but in reality it was just messed up family drama that didn’t need the setting of the cult to begin with.
I wish the author had chosen one or the other to write about. Either focus the story on the family or dive deeper into the mythos and lore of the cult. She left so much on the table when it came to what the cult was doing, why they were there and their mysterious leader and his ideologies.
Although I really enjoyed it, I just feel like my attention was divided while reading this book, and I was left wanting more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
themorbidlycuriousbookclub's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I loved this. But I could’ve loved it more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism