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m_rain'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
3.5
My only complaint is the ending felt a bit rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the book. Within ~30 pages we learn a more complex story than we had within the ~300 pages prior.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, and Abortion
shalia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
kelzcline's review against another edition
4.75
Moderate: Cancer, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
daffodilcherry'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
4.0
I liked the central mystery, and the cast of characters that surrounded it were well fleshed out and real. The worldbuilding was just deep enough to keep the book moving, which was fine and explainable as Ivy doesn't understand much either. The heart of this story really was the relationship between Tabitha and Ivy rather than solving the mystery at times. I listened to this as an audiobook and Xe Sands perfected the world weary private detective vibe.
Definitely a great read, 4/5 stars since I'm feeling a little fatigue at American highschool stories. Secondary characters were in sapphic relationships, but the main character is very into a (bi) man, which was written sweetly. Specific content warnings will be explained below.
Wheelhouses: noir detective, snarky and self aware noir detective POV, magic school, highschool through the eyes of an adult, mean girls cliques, chosen one narratives with a twist, sapphic side characters, sister estrangement and reconciliation.
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Abortion
Moderate: Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
A major story arc is about Ivy uncovering a teen pregnancy who then has a magical abortion, which itself is a body horror experience without pain:abbiechron's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Gore, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
turrean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The audiobook was FANTASTIC.
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Terminal illness and Pregnancy
forg3y's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Gore, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Blood and Vomit
It handles the panic attack parts well, with some good ways to cope (and one, impossible-but-wouldn't-it-be-nice way)alithomas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism and Abortion
Moderate: Cancer, Blood, and Pregnancy
kiwi_00's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
- Romance aspect of the story-
I enjoyed the flirtations and dates of Rahul and Ivy and I wish that they had one final discussion about how she messed up and a possibility of fixing it (I wanted them to end up together), it was a shame that her inferiority complex towards her sister got in the way . - Mystery- Brilliantly done especially because the investigation is not some Sherlock Holmes/Hercule Poirot investigation where only they could have solved it. Since everything is so realistic and Gailey takes care to make sure that the details in the story align well enough that when particular details stuck out to me, I was trying to solve the mystery alongside Ivy even though I ended up being way off. Once the perpetrator is revealed and gives an explanation, it makes so much sense why
Tabitha did what she did but I was surprised that Ivy didn't say anything. Tabitha losing two people that she loves to cancer broke her mind and she was willing to do anything to save Sylvia even though she ended up killing her. Harbouring the feeling (and then finding out that Ivy blamed her) that she was somewhat responsible for her mother's death and then conjuring a plan to remove all the cancer from Sylvia? Despite being the perpetrator, you can't help but feel sympathetic - Magic- I liked how realistic it was, it felt so different to other stories about magic on a school campus.
It was more akin to science and even then just physics theory. I liked how in the background magic stuff was in comparison to the rest of the story especially the part about a prophecy and a 'Chosen One' . I think notbeing able to do magic is such an integral part of Ivy's inferiority complex towards her sister which helps to make Ivy feel more human than a perfect detective who solves every single case with no issues.
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
bodybeingsoulstl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
You might like this book if you...
... dreamed of being at Hogwarts
... like being a detective / sleuth
... have a strainted relationship with your sister
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Death, Blood, Abortion, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy