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shaniamarie21's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Child abuse and Child death
tysbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I can see why some people might not like this book and I think having the right expectations going into this will help with the experience of the story. The cover would suggest there might be some horror elements and this being set at an amusement park, one would think the story would take place primarily at the park. That is not the case. This is a police investigation around missing boys and the park comes into play becomes most of the characters work at the park. I really enjoyed learning about the conspiracy of the park and the secrets of some of the characters and all of the cover ups that had been done to protect the reputation of the park and therefore the town. However, I wished we could have spent more time at Wonderland and more time with the characters there. I also felt sort of dissatisfied with the ending. After some of the reveals, it left me with more questions than answers and it would have been nice to get a resolution. I wasn’t disappointed by this, but I did expect a little bit more going into it.
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual harassment
covublitz's review against another edition
- 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
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The trigger warning list for this book is a mile long (it would have been shorter to select what’s NOT in it), and it is WILDLY problematic. Characters are horribly unlikeable and should certainly all be in prison. The casual homophobia and transphobia are disgusting, as is the graphic and frequent pedophilia . Main character runs around with a victim mentality when she’s one of the worst of the bunch. Honestly, if they had all died I would have cheered.
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Two stars only because I couldn’t figure out the killer right away (
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Picked it up for a horror/thriller bookclub. Hate-read my way through it, then took a really long, hot shower to get the ick off my skin. This book sticks with you, and not in a good way. Do not recommend.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Transphobia
goodgollymissmollee's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Transphobia
chemistreadingonthejob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier is a serial killer thriller that is hard to put down. Jennifer Hillier intricately weaves multiple perspectives into a cohesive story that reveals something shocking almost every chapter. The main protagonist Vanessa, a newly hired Deputy Police Chief and mother, has a compelling back story and a fierce personality. Unfortunately, just as her family starts over in Seaside, a homicide investigation threatens to topple the reputation of the area's main tourist attraction, Wonderland. Events of the present are startlingly similar to the dark past that hides beneath the cheery surface of the clown museum.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the cult mentality of Wonderland. The entire town revolves around this amusement park. The police drop everything to handle Wonderland related incidents swiftly and quietly. This book provides a detailed array of diverse characters. Some are likeable such as Vanessa and Jerry, a retired detective (also found in Jennifer Hillier's novel Creep). Others are cringeworthy like Bianca, who is known as the dragon lady that runs the park and resident cougar. All are well written with interesting perspectives. Loving this book was unexpected. A creepy amusement park setting has been done before, but the atmosphere is fitting and feels unprecedented with the way it's put together. Everytime I thought I had predicted the outcome, I would fall victim to another misdirection. In the end, I could never have guessed where this story was leading, but it came together brilliantly. All I can say is that it's always the people you least expect. Readers looking for a unique and unsettling thriller will love this.
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual violence