nglofile's review against another edition
2.0
Timing may well be a factor, but this was a relative miss for me. The very feature that others find compelling - the mix of campus tale, ghost story, family drama, mystery, and coming of age(-ish) journey - instead struck me as overambitious and unfocused. The explorations of grief and of mental illness held surprising degrees of texture, invoking rings of authenticity in the family's trauma experiences - not only in their own processing but also in how poorly others are equipped to respond appropriately. These passages were uncomfortable, but that was rather the point.
It's appropriate, even desirable, to have other storylines and tones to counterbalance these weighty themes; however, those elements need to complement each other, and throwing SO much in undermines the very intent. Also, it would have been preferable to invest more deeply in her roommates and female friendships than in multiple flirtations.
I may have been more sanguine if the writing were elevated, but the jejune style kept bringing me out of the story rather than offering immersion. The sheer length didn't help, nor did the unearned ending, but I'm wrangling with the fact that nearly everyone in my circles has a much more favorable opinion. So, book, it's not you, it's me?
It's appropriate, even desirable, to have other storylines and tones to counterbalance these weighty themes; however, those elements need to complement each other, and throwing SO much in
Spoiler
[but wait, there's more: now espionage, too!]I may have been more sanguine if the writing were elevated, but the jejune style kept bringing me out of the story rather than offering immersion. The sheer length didn't help, nor did the unearned ending, but I'm wrangling with the fact that nearly everyone in my circles has a much more favorable opinion. So, book, it's not you, it's me?
catreader18's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing first novel! I can’t wait to read more from this author.
katekate_reads_'s review against another edition
4.0
Cady’s brother was a junior at Harvard when he died by suicide last year after struggling with schizophrenia. She decides to also attend Harvard - and is hoping to learn more about her brother.
Shortly after arriving, Cady starts hearing voices. She doesn’t know if she’s truly communicating with spirits on campus or if they are signs that she’s also experiencing mental illness.
I was compelled to keep reading and interested to see where things would lead - but not sure how I feel about the answers that were ultimately revealed.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
Shortly after arriving, Cady starts hearing voices. She doesn’t know if she’s truly communicating with spirits on campus or if they are signs that she’s also experiencing mental illness.
I was compelled to keep reading and interested to see where things would lead - but not sure how I feel about the answers that were ultimately revealed.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
roseangel2's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jodikay's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
asyaqub's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book; it was hard to put down because I wanted to know what was going to happen and how it would all end. I would have liked to know what happened to some of the other characters at the end. I really want more explanation of the voices- were they real or just in the characters' heads?- but maybe too much explanation would have detracted from the mysteriousness of the story. 4/5 stars because i still had a lot of questions at the end, but overall a great book.
internationalkris's review against another edition
3.0
I appreciated this thriller, especially the complexity of the narrator's situation - attending Harvard a year after her older brother killed himself there. I also respected the insights given into schizophrenia both for the person experiencing it as well as the family members. The ghost angle was disappointing though - there were three worthy ones but they just petered out. The plot moved along in predictable ways but there were also some twists which I appreciated. Overall a good choice for thriller readers and Ivy League enthusiasts. The best in this genre though has got to be Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House - it was outstanding. And for the non-thriller Ivy League lover - Elif Batuman's The Idiot which was fabulous.
tcsellman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
carolibrary's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Violence