beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal death
Animal death is referenced textually but actual death is avoided asSpoiler
the animals are created digitally so any real animals are not harmed or killedemilyrainsford's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
She wakes up. She's on a bus.
How did she get here? Who is she??
She doesn't know.
There are other people on the bus. They have no personal memory either. They know general knowledge things but nothing about themselves or their own lives.
The bus starts asking them versions of the philosophical "trolley problem" - like, the bus is about to hit 5 people. Hit a button to divert it down a side road and only hit 1 person. What if the 1 person is a criminal? What if the side road contains the last living white rhino instead?
But it's all hypothetical.
Isn't it??
********
WOW this book was SO good!! An exciting thriller and also a thought provoking look at who we are and whether "bad people" are truly just bad. Is it possible to wipe the slate clean, or are we always who we are, even when we can't remember how we became that way? This book manages to be an examination of human behaviour and morality, as well as a completly thrilling ride from start to finish.
We have bi/wlw rep and a character with a prosthetic leg. And the ending *mind blown*. It was exactly the right ending for this book, but let's say if you like your story resolved completely with a nice little bow on top, you're gonna be frustrated. It leaves a bit to the reader's imagination, but somehow I think the book would have been cheapened by a tidy resolution with epilogue HEA. You finish it and you're like... wait, what?? It's finished?! And yet somehow I think it was the perfect ending for this crazy ride.
This one has to be a 5 star for me. Not because it was completely perfect but because my gut reaction is "wow that was amazing!" and I think it'll stay with me for a while.
How did she get here? Who is she??
She doesn't know.
There are other people on the bus. They have no personal memory either. They know general knowledge things but nothing about themselves or their own lives.
The bus starts asking them versions of the philosophical "trolley problem" - like, the bus is about to hit 5 people. Hit a button to divert it down a side road and only hit 1 person. What if the 1 person is a criminal? What if the side road contains the last living white rhino instead?
But it's all hypothetical.
Isn't it??
********
WOW this book was SO good!! An exciting thriller and also a thought provoking look at who we are and whether "bad people" are truly just bad. Is it possible to wipe the slate clean, or are we always who we are, even when we can't remember how we became that way? This book manages to be an examination of human behaviour and morality, as well as a completly thrilling ride from start to finish.
We have bi/wlw rep and a character with a prosthetic leg. And the ending *mind blown*. It was exactly the right ending for this book, but let's say if you like your story resolved completely with a nice little bow on top, you're gonna be frustrated. It leaves a bit to the reader's imagination, but somehow I think the book would have been cheapened by a tidy resolution with epilogue HEA. You finish it and you're like... wait, what?? It's finished?! And yet somehow I think it was the perfect ending for this crazy ride.
This one has to be a 5 star for me. Not because it was completely perfect but because my gut reaction is "wow that was amazing!" and I think it'll stay with me for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Gun violence
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