Reviews

Four by Four by Sara Mesa

ru_th's review

dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Language is useless. Words are corrupt and he doesn’t know how to go back to the beginning. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

selenajournal's review

1.0

This is one of maybe 4 books that's I've abandoned in a decade. It's not even that long. I just don't see the point of reading it and find myself dragging my heels about the act of reading when this is the book I have with me.

I assumed the problem was me. So I let it go a while and then came back to it in better climate and disposition and still wanted nothing to do with it.

Maybe someone else will love the 'colitch' life. But this wasn't close to good for me.

laurenmckane's review

challenging mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

2.0

nikolai_k's review against another edition

3.0

It doesn't really work as a cohesive whole, but they gave it the old college try.

irelivar's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

4.0

etinney's review

2.0

Another case of a book trying to comment on too many social issues and not giving any of them proper respect.

The writing style also made me so detached. It felt like I was watching a show in the background while doing something else - I knew the gist of what was happening but was not attached to the story in any way.

It is very possible that I just was not connecting with the way the book was translated, and that would be on me.

kpcrossy's review

2.0

2/5 ⭐️: bleak, distressing, and difficult to get in to. This book is a Spanish gothic, and deals with a lot of dark issues: rape, sexual coercion, suicide, and animal abuse/death in the context of a mysterious school. It examines structures and misuses of power, but leaves so many threads untied. Plot points are left open or not fully developed, and there are so many characters that few (if any) are fleshed out. By the time I finished reading, I was unsure of what had actually happened.

wormgirl's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Suicide, and Classism

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Child abuse and Sexual assault

breadandmushrooms's review

challenging dark emotional tense 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? Yes

3.5

katesant's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Suicide, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence