bookishmillennial's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
This was wild. Absolutely WILD. The last 20% is where all the meat of the story really is unpacked, but the first 80% had me guessing and wondering who to trust. This book felt like it could've existed in the world of Riverdale x Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, like a nefarious camp horror!! This elite summer camp setting in the Catskills Mountains was eerie and screamed "bad things will happen!" I loved the representation of Mars as genderfluid, but I was confused as to why no one else ever used pronouns besides he/him, when she made it clear that they use he/they/she? Maybe that was intentional to show that everyone around Mars was an "ally" but still fumbling and getting it wrong? They also constantly deadname him, which frustrated me. However, again, I'm guessing it was a deliberate choice to possibly evoke unease and tension from the readers? I'm totally projecting here lol!
Anyway, I appreciated the fact that I had no idea who to trust in this novel. Maybe that's obvious in a horror/thriller, that you shouldn't count anyone out. However, I could not for the life of me (!!!) tell if the Honeys were supposed to be the villains or in solidarity with Mars! It was exhausting to be me, and I think that just shows how talented Ryan La Sala is in their fleshing out of these characters, and how every single moment the Honeys shared with Mars left me guessing how I felt about the interaction. Was that meant to be helpful? Was that threatening? Do they know something? Are they just as scared? This was masterfully done!!!
I'm excited to read more from Ryan La Sala, and this was the perfect book for me to let go of summer (like truly, fuck summer after reading this book. I want no part of it hahaha), and to welcome autumn and Halloween season!
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Deadnaming, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Child death, Murder, Sexism, Transphobia, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content
itsapollo's review
- 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
3.0
Spoiler
And everything we were being set up for between Mars and Wyatt completely fell apart within a few pages which was getting and I felt could have been easily handled differently.Spoiler
I want to say that I truly love Mars and I love cabin H and the bond that was shown there. There were beautiful melodic and visually stunning passages in this book!! The final act just felt so rushed to me. I have more thoughts but I'll leave it at that.Graphic: Transphobia, Bullying, Violence, Body horror, Murder, and Deadnaming
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
The main character is genderfluid and states early on in the book that their pronouns are he/they/she but no one in the book ever uses any pronouns but he/him for the characteradelinebal4's review
- 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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Bullying
Moderate: Violence, Dysphoria, Transphobia, and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
eschorrlesnick's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Homophobia
tanith26'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror
Minor: Violence and Sexual violence
patchhadley's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Dysphoria, Gore, Grief, Murder, Transphobia, Classism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Cannibalism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
the_first_lines's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Murder, Cannibalism, Homophobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
mfrisk's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Body horror, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, Gore, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
bodybyicecream'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual harassment
queersubtext's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Gaslighting, Deadnaming, Body horror, Transphobia, Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Hate crime, and Emotional abuse