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plumdustsuns'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
1.0
I think personally the book would have profited a lot from Evie being upwards of 17. While it would have taken away a bit of the hopeless lamb, but it wouldn’t have been that much. I think it would have lent to Evie and Suzanne’s relationship and Evie’s character in general.
Aside from that, all the SA on a 14 year old and this promiscuity put upon them in literature makes me really uneasy and angry, honestly. I don’t think teenagers are ever that deliberate of sex in the way it’s presented in books like this. While it is shown that Evie is forced into it, it’s played off for the most part by her being like “oh well,” until the Mitch situation. Even that didn’t have enough anger or was presented in a bad light. I’m always aware in books of what writers project onto their characters and of what age because it is a choice, and not inspired off of true events ( entirely here anyway).
I also found it really redundant that all of this happened over a fucking record deal. I wish it was something else and the bad blood between Russel and Mitch had more weight and tension, especially for the girls. (I read up and see this is what happened in real life but just copy pasting these events without much of a weight or exploration just feels like a waste and triggering for no reason.) I wish it would have subverted the tale by instead having the girls turn on Russel somehow and kill him instead. That would have made a better story line.
I kept reading this book as it had a premise for having the opportunity to explore queerness, girlhood and the patriarchy in depth. However, besides from some insightfully written paragraphs on what it is like to be a girl, it feels rather flat in all the other departments. And it felt rather disappointing to finish this triggering book to get through with all the events just falling flat onto nothing overall and by the end.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
rachel24x7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Drug use, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Cursing and Murder
Minor: Eating disorder, Gore, and Physical abuse
helenamichelle'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? No
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Gaslighting, and Classism
adelexmarie'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
gwenisnonbinary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Physical abuse
itsheyfay's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Blood, Abandonment, and Alcohol
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Excrement, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting
terrabby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
bethybooevans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The book would have been more engaging had the focus been on the cult and the facts surrounding it.
However, the gruesome men were portrayed well and Evie’s relationship with Susanne was intriguing.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, and Blood
jessisreading_'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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Drug use
Minor: Physical abuse