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paloverdepages'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? No
1.5
The prose has moments when it's really good, usually in sensory descriptions.
There are a lot of scenes that feel like a point-and-click adventure game. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; I think it's the limited setting and all the props that the narration is juggling. Speaking of juggling, sometimes it's hard to tell who's speaking
I'm reading this so I can watch the movie. It was a bit of a chore.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Confinement, Gun violence, Dementia, Grief, and Death of parent
chelsea11's review against another edition
0.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
angstyweeaboo's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Rape, and Dementia
emilypage99's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder
thatonehorse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent
millie251's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury
michelle_my_belle'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Trafficking
Minor: Cancer
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