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themoodreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
bzliz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Character death spoiler:
We meet a few new characters- Dr. Fenton and her nephew Hunter- who are also involved with the Ellingham case. Stevie manages to piece together the identity of Truly Devious as well as pinpoint someone who was absolutely involved in the kidnapping of Iris and Alice Ellingham.
Something I haven’t decided if I like or not is the way we cut back to the 1930’s for some chapters. On one hand I enjoy getting to see how things actually happened but on the other hand it feels like cheating since there’s no way for Stevie to ever be privy to these details so it feels like we’re waiting for her to catch up to us. I will be continuing the series but I hope it doesn’t drag out terribly.
Minor: Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, and Murder
liesthemoontells's review against another edition
- 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: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Abandonment
amaya_jam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism and Vomit
Minor: Confinement, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury
widgetknits's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
joanna77_'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? No
1.5
Minor: Death, Kidnapping, and Murder
manonschuur's review against another edition
2.25
Someone wrote this in their review and I totally agree with them:
'That rant over, I can get back to the book as a whole— but whole, it really isn’t. Splitting up a YA mystery into three books is a strrrretcccchh. And it feels that way. There is so much expository stuff that could have been chopped away, and turned this trilogy into a fairly longer standalone. It would have worked better that way. Even a damn duology would’ve been fine! No more frustrating cliffhangers, and a lot less (if I’m being honest) boring filler.
Some random side notes:
•A good mystery typically lays most of their cards on the table and begs you to “SOLVE ME (if you can)”. Here, we’re given some clues to start, and then thrown other tidbits of clues at the very end we could never have picked up on. Ever. And again and again, we’re fed more, but it doesn’t feel fun. I want to know the broad strokes, and THEN the smaller details. And we can’t do anything about any of it, even if we knew the answers to some, until Stevie gets it in her head.
•David and Stevie are toxic together. I don’t understand the pairing AT ALL!
•Again, I found this book too “young” for me. It lacked the hardcore sleuthing I craved, and was pretty “Nancy Drew for the modern age”, but with more hipsters.
•I wanted more Nate, Janelle, and Mudge— the only sensible and interesting characters.
•I have to give credit for the way Stevie’s anxiety is handled. Props for accurate depictions of panic attacks. Mental illness is no joke... but there is something seriously problematic with David’s behavior, and no one acting on getting him help is sad.'
Graphic: Death and Kidnapping
whewtaewoon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism
laurenevlyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Medical content and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse and Misogyny
rissaandherbooks's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, and Alcohol