The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
aparker89'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
4.0
Find out the truth behind their crime and those that came after and discover where The Magic Man really does get his magic!
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Body shaming, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide, Physical abuse, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Stalking, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Mental illness, Self harm, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Suicide attempt
ohyayitsapril's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Animal death, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Death of parent, Addiction, and Animal cruelty
arichey1988's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Alcohol, Ableism, Torture, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Child death, Rape, Lesbophobia, and Emotional abuse
kermit_the_wrong'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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Suicide, Child abuse, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Torture, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Animal death, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Blood, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Pedophilia, and Racism
sssmoser's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Ronald Malfi
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 436
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Horror
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:... Eh 🤷♀️
𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭: Yes, but by the thinnest of hairs
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝: Contemporary
𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:👻👻
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: ⭐⭐⭐
This is the fourth or fifth book I've read by Malfi, and I'm a big fan. Unfortunately this is my least favorite of his, as I never felt it got off the ground and went somewhere.
The book had a very similar vibe to two of my favorite Stephen King novels - It and Revival, but sadly the plot faltered. Jaimie is the main character and protagonist, but I found him to be the least interesting of the main four.
The friends are brought together after one of them witnesses a mysterious magician who had preyed on them as children, but besides them trying to solve that mystery, I felt like the book just kept adding more and more childhood trauma on these characters, with very little moving the plot along. Somewhere in the middle, an additional villain is added, and it just didn't work for me.
Despite it not living up to expectations and having quite a few pacing problems, there are still moments of lovely writing in here and I did really enjoy about half of it.
⭐⭐⭐
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, and Addiction
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Animal cruelty
rachelunabridged'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
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Lesbophobia, and Fatphobia
Minor: Suicide attempt and Infidelity