Scan barcode
czoltak's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"When he woke up? It took us a long time to convince him that he was out of that basement.” She paused. "Sometimes I wonder if we ever did."
3.5⭐️
I have mixed feelings about this one. I really enjoyed the premise and the characters. The idea of a female serial killer, a tortured detective, and a naïve journalist all being interlocked was fascinating from the start. Finding out what happened between Gretchen and Archie those 10 days, the banter between Susan and Archie, and watching current day parallel the past were all my favorite aspects. In fact, the side humor between the characters helped balance out some of the brutal and horrific natural of the overall story. My issues were towards the end of the book. I thought the current day killer paled considerably in comparison to the past storyline with Gretchen, to the point where it was almost unsatisfying in its simplicity. I also didn’t love the direction Gretchen and Archie’s dynamic started to become as it felt romanticized which was unnecessary for a bond that is already rooted in a disturbing and complex nature. Overall, this was a very dark book that felt similar to an episode of Criminal Minds. I am throughly surprised that despite its age, I still relatively enjoyed the story and was hooked throughout. I haven’t decided if I’ll continue on in the series yet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Drug abuse, Gore, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Murder
babydog420's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kinda silly but compelling & fun
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Vomit
random use of T and D slurs on one occasion each