Scan barcode
hellavaral's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, and Confinement
mikathereviewer's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
1.0
The ending was a bit interesting. And even though I didn't like this book I enjoyed the writing style (though I would have preferred sometimes different words to describe something).
The information we got in this book about Area X and the southern reach wasn't good or even a lot.
The pacing was awfully slow. One could start at 60-70% in, and haven't missed anything. It's a joke.
Main character; Control (John) was annoying. Couldn't decide if he wanted to know everything or nothing at all.
Plot wasn't interesting (or rather dragged out too much as we got almost nothing out of it). At some point I was so bored out that even the plot twist didn't bring me back into reading with interest.
Almost nothing happens in the book and we just get useless info, scenes and more that could have been cut out, as the book has about 70 pages content only.
Confusing. Maybe it's my vocabulary, but most of the time I either didn't know what was going on or it was too bizarre (without even getting an explanation!).
The last chapter. Who thinks it's a good idea to put the last 14% of the book in a whole chapter. That was way too much!
This book put me into a reading slump and even though I know that we get new characters and a new setting for each of the books from this series I seriously think I won't continue with it. Not complete set yet though, but definitely will read a different book (series) now.
04. August 2024
The information we got in this book about Area X and the southern reach wasn't good or even a lot.
The pacing was awfully slow. One could start at 60-70% in, and haven't missed anything. It's a joke.
Main character; Control (John) was annoying. Couldn't decide if he wanted to know everything or nothing at all.
Plot wasn't interesting (or rather dragged out too much as we got almost nothing out of it). At some point I was so bored out that even the plot twist didn't bring me back into reading with interest.
Almost nothing happens in the book and we just get useless info, scenes and more that could have been cut out, as the book has about 70 pages content only.
Confusing. Maybe it's my vocabulary, but most of the time I either didn't know what was going on or it was too bizarre (without even getting an explanation!).
The last chapter. Who thinks it's a good idea to put the last 14% of the book in a whole chapter. That was way too much!
This book put me into a reading slump and even though I know that we get new characters and a new setting for each of the books from this series I seriously think I won't continue with it. Not complete set yet though, but definitely will read a different book (series) now.
04. August 2024
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Confinement, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Vomit, Stalking, and Alcohol
Minor mention of amnesia (memory loss)flavoredfaeman's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, and Mass/school shootings
michaelion's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Damn. I spoke too soon (in my review for Annihilation). I dozed off at least three times reading this. It wasn't exceptionally boring or bad but I believe if something is good enough even if I'm already tired I'll stay alert to enjoy it.
As a joke the first time I saw Lowry's name I thought "What if I google that name and get spoiled that Lowry was secretly the big bad all along?" I didn't google it but I ended up being right??? What the hey hey.
I thought of Control as a manchild, mostly because of his attachment to his mommy but also he didn't seem to get much of anything done. Not a critique of the book I just don't have anyone to talk to about it. Also negative points because characters have names now and I just think that's misogynistic!
I thought of Control as a manchild, mostly because of his attachment to his mommy but also he didn't seem to get much of anything done. Not a critique of the book I just don't have anyone to talk to about it. Also negative points because characters have names now and I just think that's misogynistic!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Stalking, and Death of parent
applesodaperson's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
This was actually a really good sequel to this series. In true sequel fashion, it created way more questions than it answered. Like the reader still has no idea what Area X is, or what created it. It just seems to make things more twisted and spooky.
The number one thing this book created more questions about was the director/the psychologist from the first book. Her old office was so atmospheric and borderline gross. I swear I could smell the icky, mildew-y carpet smell. And what was going on with the plant and the mouse in the drawers? It also brought her connection to Area X to life, becauseshe knew the lighthouse keeper when she was a child. It is just interesting that this character was given such depth, because in the first book, she is definitely a secondary antagonist, the first being Area X itself. But I guess that just serves to show that the biologist is not necessarily a reliable narrator. This book also gives some insight into the biologist. Because now it is revealed that the biologist that came out of Area X is the double, not the original, and is seemingly not afraid to be open about that. Very spooky. It also brings the question of if the other 2 who came back were doubles (it is implied that they were). And also why didn't a double of the psychology come back?
I also liked the new character of control. He felt pretty realistic and was entertaining. He is basically a nepo baby himbo. But I liked the way he slowly went crazy and started to doubt his perception of the Southern Reach. Only for it to be revealed that he has beenhypnotized to forget certain things by Lowry and his mom. I also liked his strange alliance with Ghost Bird at the end.
My only criticisms were that it wasn't as scary as the first book, and didn't give me that breathless, edge of my seat terror.
I also think that there were a few too many characters. The simplicity of the cast in the first one was definitely a strength.
Overall I liked this book though.
Read borrowed copy from Hannah.
The number one thing this book created more questions about was the director/the psychologist from the first book. Her old office was so atmospheric and borderline gross. I swear I could smell the icky, mildew-y carpet smell. And what was going on with the plant and the mouse in the drawers? It also brought her connection to Area X to life, because
I also liked the new character of control. He felt pretty realistic and was entertaining. He is basically a nepo baby himbo. But I liked the way he slowly went crazy and started to doubt his perception of the Southern Reach. Only for it to be revealed that he has been
My only criticisms were that it wasn't as scary as the first book, and didn't give me that breathless, edge of my seat terror.
I also think that there were a few too many characters. The simplicity of the cast in the first one was definitely a strength.
Overall I liked this book though.
Read borrowed copy from Hannah.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Animal death
emilywemily6's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
This book was weird just like the last one, but it was much slower and lots compelling to read. We got relatively few answers for the length of this book, and while it was interesting to take a different perspective on Area X, it was mildly frustrating. I think this writing style is not for me and most of the book said nothing and then big moments were passed over too quickly for me to grasp. It was still intriguing, and kind of a pseudo-character study, but the payoff was not as much as I anticipated when I started reading it. I’ll probably read the next one to get more answers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Torture, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Cancer, Sexual content, and Alcohol
zombiezami's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Stalking, and Alcohol
Minor: Cursing, Gun violence, Sexual content, Abandonment, and War
bomenvernietiger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Brave choice to not feature a new expedition into the area at all, and to completely rely on the academic and administrative side of the plot, but it pays off. Because of this, the story sometimes gets a little too slow, but overall the slow-burn works well.
Very colourful prose, sometimes trying a little too much to be clever, occasionally leading to metaphors and expressions that are just a little weird.
Very colourful prose, sometimes trying a little too much to be clever, occasionally leading to metaphors and expressions that are just a little weird.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
antigonecounterpart's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Despite a really slow start, to the point where even I considered dropping it, the last 100 or so pages are some of the best horror I've read. I think Vandermeer is talented in making things alien. In Annihilation, it was nature. Here, It's man made structures and rules.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Gaslighting
aileron's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Confinement