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sofia_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Trafficking, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Cursing, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
coco78337'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Cursing, Incest, Vomit, Trafficking, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
midnightrose_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
xiacatt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Movie review: If you love the book, you'll hate the movie. It's more "reimagined" rather than "inspired by". Too many changes in characters and plot. Would not recommend.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
renjunify's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Death of parent, and Alcohol
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
"Don’t fear the pros, Darby. The pros know what they’re doing, and do it cleanly. Fear the amateurs."
I loved my first experience with Taylor Adams' work when I read The Last Word last year, and I've been meaning to dive into his backlist ever since. With No Exit fitting multiple challenges this year, I thought it was the perfect excuse to finally do so... I do love a good bout of bad weather to spice up the plot, and the premise of this thriller sounded SO good. And I have to say that it is one heck of a rollercoaster ride! Sure, it is definitely key to be able to suspend your disbelief and the plot is WAY over the top, but if you are able to sit back and enjoy the ride you are in for a wild one. I tend to love my thrillers on the high octane and dark side, but No Exit definitely goes beyond that and dips its toe in the horror genre with plenty of gruesome and gory scenes. I wouldn't recommend it if you have a weak stomach, that's for sure! That said, No Exit is basically one tense and dangerous moment after the other; the author not giving you a minute to breathe in between accute situations. I literally couldn't stop reading as I HAD to know how everything would end. The fact that the characters are trapped and Darby doesn't know who to trust only adds to the suspense... I do have to say that some of her actions were beyond stupid, and this prevented me from giving it an even higher rating. The bad guy was also a bit too much for me, and his actions and attitude almost felt cartoonish in points. BUT. The whole situation was too tense to stand still by these minor niggles for long, and it's a true pageturner indeed despite the confusing ending. If you are looking for a credible plot and thorough character development, I suggest looking elsewhere... But if you are in need of a dose of high octane, twisted and intense action and just care about being entertained, No Exit should work just fine.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
mmarquis1158's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Vomit, Trafficking, and Death of parent
missgrangerr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
buer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I want to like this book - it’s fast-paced, easy to read, and has an overarching theme of a young woman realizing that she is a better, stronger, and more resilient person than she could have ever imagined. Taylor Adams has a simple, visceral writing style that I like and introduces several interesting twists.
However. Much like one of the characters in this book, Adams feels like the kind of person who knows how to convincingly wear a mask. The mask he has chosen is that he’s the kind of person who believes that women are strong and capable, but considering that he sexualizes every female character in his book with varying degrees of brutality, I’m not convinced.
I also find it difficult to enjoy a book in which the author goes out of his way to introduce prejudice into the story. Taylor names an imaginary geographical landmark with a slur. He has a character tell multiple misogynistic jokes and a racist one that involves yet another slur. He uses the r-word and repeatedly references a probably homophobic piece of graffiti that he invented for the bathroom wall at the rest stop.
Maybe I’m wrong about Taylor, but I can’t recommend this book in good conscience. There are too many moments that got under my skin for reasons that weren’t serving the plot or adding depth to characters.
There are plenty other books that accomplish what this book does without also reeking of ick. Read those instead.
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, and Fire/Fire injury
aniwillow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Excrement, and Grief