tiramisuandpasta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Torture, Death of parent, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Terminal illness, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, and Sexism
Minor: Vomit
aelinfireheqrt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Vomit, Grief, Death, Gore, and Violence
c_e_w'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, Drug abuse, Medical content, Violence, Misogyny, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Addiction, Animal death, and Vomit
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Gore, Medical trauma, Murder, Classism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Confinement, Mental illness, Violence, Vomit, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Stalking, Suicide, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Medical content, Blood, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
bzliz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The book is well paced and I appreciate that Audrey Rose doesn’t fall too deeply into the “not like other girls” trap. Despite her drive toward macabre science, she still enjoys fine dresses and makeup like her peers, though she does find it hard to relate to their lack of drive toward being more than a future wife. I wish we’d gotten to see more interaction with her cousin Liza; I think she could use a positive female presence on her side given the heavy male influence around her.
Like many mysteries, the characters don’t get a lot of development. The greatest changes here are shown only in how Audrey Rose and Thomas’s dynamic shifts to be more like partners than adversaries. I hope there’s more personal growth in the next book but I’m not holding my breath for it.
The ending does go a bit off the rails but in a fun way. The real killer is
Spoiler
Audrey Rose’s brother Nathaniel. She followed much evidence proclaiming her father as the killer but in truth her brother became obsessed with bringing their mother back to life in some kind of Frankenstein style experiment. This is why he was killing and harvesting organs of women who he saw as being worthless to society.Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Murder, Blood, Gore, Sexism, and Death
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Cannibalism, Vomit, and Alcohol
bookedandbusy'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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Vomit
oh_roudha_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Animal cruelty, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Animal death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Medical content, and Sexism
Minor: Stalking and Vomit
abbiexhope'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, and Gore
Minor: Drug use, Vomit, and Cannibalism
thecourtofreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, Body horror, and Gore
Moderate: Death of parent and Drug abuse
Minor: Vomit
lainiereads's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
also enjoyed the use of actual facts from the case.
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Body horror, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Addiction, Sexism, Medical content, and Classism
Minor: Death of parent, Vomit, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization