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schausjk'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
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Trafficking
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Lesbophobia
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Narrated by Katie Erich
Unabridged
This was just okay for me. It had a really cool snd unique concept but I just lacked any emotional connection for the story and ended up more or less having it on as background noise, unfortunately.
I wish I had had a stronger feeling for this title.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
sammirosewater's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion
bedtimesandbooks'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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
rhi_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and Pregnancy
Minor: Confinement, Gun violence, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Cannibalism
jebowman123's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Ableism, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Stalking
howdyhoward's review against another edition
2.0
I really dislike when we're in a character's head but we don't get their backstory/why they're doing what they're doing so their actions seem to not make sense even though THEY know why they're doing it. I just feel like I'm being lied to in cases like that. Everything was revealed later and yes it makes sense looking back but I still feel like I'm being led on and manipulated by the author in a way I don't like.
I had a really hard time with the pacing and thought it ground to a standstill for 50 pages right before the end. I also thought the romance was tacked on and completely unnecessary. I didn't really like any of the characters by the end and was just kind of waiting for it to be over :/
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Minor: Torture and Trafficking
bubbly_lara's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The setting, atmosphere and mood were very dark and gloomy, but in a good way (reminded me a bit of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Mexican Gothic").
I really liked the story, the characters and the writing style. Highlighted quite a lot of quotes, I'll put three further down below.
The themes of chosen/found family and trying to find who you are as a person outside of the people you grew up with, what is expected of you vs the pursuit of what makes you happy deeply resonated with me.
Highly recommend if you're looking for a slightly spooky, rather dark and grim story of a young mother trying to break her son and herself free from familial chains and expectations, hoping to one day have a better life for themselves.
"Memory was an anchor. It could ground you in a storm, keep you from drifting.
But anchors could also weigh you down and keep you from sailing free."
"For here was the thing that no fairy tale would ever admit, but that she understood in that moment: love was not inherently good."
"- What price do you put on love?
- No price. There isn't one. Love doesn't have a cost. It's just a choice you make."
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Rape, Torture, Trafficking, and Outing
laylagrace's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Gore, and Torture
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Blood, and Pregnancy