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maurareads's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence and Stalking
purplepenning's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This is literary fiction. It has undertones of dark, satirical humor, but it's not really funny, it's not a romance, and it's definitely not a rom-com. I understand the appeal of a darkly funny modern Walter Mitty character, murderously daydreaming a way out of her appalling marriage, but... I will never understand the appeal of a whole novel with no likeable characters. There's a little less than one half of a likeable character in this entire book, and that's counting the dog. In addition, the plot delivery was too reflective of the stifling, repetitive, unhappy, upperclass life it was representing, leaving me with very little to enjoy other than, occasionally, an interesting turn of phrase or mildly satisfying escalation in the predicted drama.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
belindag26637's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I pretty much read this book in one day.
This was the first ARC I got approved on NetGalley and I honestly couldn’t remember the synopsis going into it. I’m so glad I went I to this blind.
How I would describe this book:
- a dark comedy
- about a woman obsessed with reading, who name drops a ton of great titles (would love to challenge myself to read all the books mentioned)
- the “bookworm” is in a horrible marriage and quickly becomes obsessed with a man she sees at the cafe she frequents
- has amazing writing (you can tell the author Robin is obsessed with reading herself)
- this book also has a twist of almost fantasy like aspects, where the main character has had a habit of astral projection since childhood.
This book really reminds me of gone girl but in a much more relatable way. At her core, Victoria just wants to be loved the way the characters in her books are. But, does that all really exist or are the traumatic thrillers more realistic and in a way …. Tempting ?
This was the first ARC I got approved on NetGalley and I honestly couldn’t remember the synopsis going into it. I’m so glad I went I to this blind.
How I would describe this book:
- a dark comedy
- about a woman obsessed with reading, who name drops a ton of great titles (would love to challenge myself to read all the books mentioned)
- the “bookworm” is in a horrible marriage and quickly becomes obsessed with a man she sees at the cafe she frequents
- has amazing writing (you can tell the author Robin is obsessed with reading herself)
- this book also has a twist of almost fantasy like aspects, where the main character has had a habit of astral projection since childhood.
This book really reminds me of gone girl but in a much more relatable way. At her core, Victoria just wants to be loved the way the characters in her books are. But, does that all really exist or are the traumatic thrillers more realistic and in a way …. Tempting ?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence