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lilbookowl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Torture, and Kidnapping
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: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Torture, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Animal death, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Addiction, Bullying, Ableism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Fire/Fire injury
bookswithange'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? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Gore, Kidnapping, Blood, and Gun violence
loveitall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Gore
Minor: Ableism and Racial slurs
hippie_raccoon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
It's almost too much.
I don't know if the author has ever interacted with a 9 year old, but Jay is not a convincing child.
For that matter, Darby isn't really a convincing young-20s woman. She's kind of flat. There's a subplot about getting home to see her mom in an emergency with some self guilt thrown in.
I did enjoy the overall action of the book. The violence was over the top, but I can appreciate the fact that people actually get hurt. Although Darby's plot armor is thiiiick. So is Ashley's for a lot of it, I guess.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Death, Murder, Gun violence, Gore, Violence, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Torture, Racism, and Kidnapping
girlwiththeoceaneyes'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
4.75
Minor: Gore and Torture
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, Murder, Violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual violence, Blood, Gun violence, Confinement, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Terminal illness, Excrement, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Grief, and Animal cruelty
rawrsoobin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racism, Trafficking, Gaslighting, and Ableism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Vomit, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Cancer, and Alcoholism
annabelbryant'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
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
College student Darby Thorne gets stranded in a rural rest area during a snowstorm—and then finds a young girl locked in a dog cage inside a van in the parking lot.
It took me YEARS to get to this book but I am so glad I finally did! I read it in a single day because I literally could not put it down. No Exit is a true thriller in every sense of the word—fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I also really loved the characters (even those I hated were rendered really well) and Darby in particular made for a kickass heroine.
My one quibble with this is that I anticipated more of a mystery element with big reveals and this isn’t really that kind of story. But if you want a super entertaining locked room drama and don’t mind a bit of gore, I highly recommend giving this a try.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: high octane thrillers; locked room settings; crisis/survival plotlines
CW: Mentions of animal cruelty/death; kidnapping; mentions of child abuse and sexual abuse; trafficking; blood/murder/gore
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Gun violence, Trafficking, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Dementia