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p1ttoresque's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Self harm, and Vomit
Moderate: Rape
lexithelion'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
lidiaaa222's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Eating disorder and Misogyny
kirstenpod_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Chronic illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Eating disorder
zetiacg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
_nayla_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
(There are a lot of seriously heavy topics in this book: sexual assault, self-harm, drug use, animal abuse, child abuse, etc. Take care of yourself.)
I'm glad I finally got around to reading it because I suddenly understand the influx of weird/crazy mother-figure insanity that's been gracing our TVs post-2006. Which is to say, I was not surprised by the depravity of every girl in this book. I also suspected Munchausen by Proxy almost immediately, but that's because of all the memorialization and victim complex stuff from the very beginning that Adora was oozing. Always wanting sympathy, care, adoration for being a "caretaker."
Sharp Objects was sickening and uncomfortable to read. Sickening because the town itself was rotten, an unflattering depiction of small towns that seem deceptively simple/quaint but allow room for depravity and disease to spread unencumbered. I knew the killer wasn't going to be a man from the beginning and Adora obviously had an uncomfortable obsession with "feeling needed," which most definitely triggered psychotic feelings in Ama.
The very last chapter, when Flinn told us where the teeth actually were, was the most shocking part because that was a very good detail. I was surprised by the plot twist — I just wish it hadn't taken us so long to get there. I would've liked to see more forceful efforts by Adora to "take care" of her girls more often, or heard about Ama's bedridden bouts earlier. It feels that the second half of the book was far more detail-heavy and I sludged through the first half.
The reveals were breadcrumbed relatively well; we all knew they were sick in the head and could feel the apprehensive cloud, the ticking clock — we just didn't know when the storm would hit. Camille knew something too, but she was too drugged/drunk to do anything about it and was predictably (and understandably) oblivious. No matter how strained the relationship, we simply do not want to believe people who we love despite what they've done to us could do . . . this.
It was interesting that the three daughters depicted three different ways of absorbing and projecting pain. Marion took it inside of her (and died for her troubles, a saint), Camille hurt herself further, and Ama hurt others. The manifestation of the Mother Wound as branches of the same knotted, cracking tree. The wound itself has a way of not perpetuating, whether by death, prison, or barrenness. There are no happy endings here.
Overall: It's not Gone Girl, but it was an entertaining read and a solid start to her career
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, and Grief
pollyhall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lavenderannie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I thought this book was very interesting. However the suggestive ways it repeatedly spoke about the 13 year old girls made me incredibly uncomfortable. It happened very often, and was hard to build any favor for any character. There was also very detailed talk about self harm throughout the whole book. Maybe it was just the audio version, but there was no warning if this before reading. Finally, the main characters relationship with her 13 year old sister was incredibly weird given the age gap, and the way they are SISTERS.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use and Mental illness
violetturtledove's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
amberjelfs's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma
If you can get past reading all of the triggers, it is a well-crafted story 😯