Reviews with content warning for Blood - The World Cannot Give

I struggled with a rating for this book but I was surprised to love it. The World Cannot Give is a very dark academia story of struggling to fit in both in school and in the world. Think Bunny by Mona Awad but focused on a religious prep school.

My personal struggle with this book was that it has some awkward writing choices and I am not very religious. However, the plot twist and character growth was great! If you love DA, this book is a wonderful and sinister option.

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marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This dark and lyrical novel by theologian Tara Isabella Burton is told from the perspective of a naive, impressionable girl who, at the start of her junior year, transfers to the coastal boarding school featured in her favorite novel, which is reminiscent of A Separate Peace. She is captivated by the chapel choir—especially by its hypnotizing leader and soprano, Virginia—and she is overjoyed to fall into favor with the exclusive group. The singers, who also deify the novel and its alumnus author, are puppeteered by Virginia, whose obsession with gravity and piety leads her down a dangerous and surprising path. Exploring sexuality, integrity, and idolization, this is a novel about wanting to become something one has read about.

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lain_darko's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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medhini's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There were so many things I liked about this dark academia novel. It features religious fanaticism, realistic depictions of teenage drama and obsession with celebrities (like Sebastian Webster), and so many queer characters. At times, the prose flowed beautifully, and reading this felt like a descent, perhaps from heaven to hell. I loved the comparison in ideology between Bonnie, Isobel, and Virginia, and even though there were a few references to modern pop culture, I don't think they dated the novel. Timelessness is one of my favorite aspects of so many dark academia stories, and these references didn't take that quality away at all.

I do have some criticisms of the novel. Although I did like the prose in some occasions, it was inconsistent and sometimes felt repetitive, with certain parts even seeming a bit too far-fetched (Laura's sudden success with running, parts of the ending, etc.). I also felt that some of the side characters were underdeveloped, and wish we could have learned about their backstories in order to better understand their motivations. Despite all this, I did really enjoy the read and would recommend to anyone who loves stories with dark academia, queer longing, and critiques of intense religious fanaticism. I am excited to see what Tara Isabella Burton writes next!

Content Warnings

svmreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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