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loujanae's review against another edition
1.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Alcohol
lloch23'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had an idea of what was going on due to seeing bits of the TV show, but other than that, I was astonished at what was actually happening. It is a quick, unsettling read that does not hold back the description of trauma and its consequences to individuals and to families and how a parent's trauma can be passed down to their kids.
The characters in this are not necessarily likeable. I felt sympathy and pity, but other than Camille, I would say no one was particularly nice or pleasant.
My last note would be this: please, please, if you struggle with self-harm or alcoholism, be careful with this book and maybe reconsider if you want to read it. I do not struggle with self-harm myself and I am not a therapist, but I was shocked at times how graphic it could be. MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING in regards to self-harm in my opinion.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Self harm, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Medical trauma
brandywyne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
inneraman'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, and Pregnancy
mellowreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
big CW obviously for self harm, but also from gross sexualization of minors from a 30 year old woman, one of which is her little sister lmao, and victim blaming + internalized misogyny. The main character is gross.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Incest
daisyrain98'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
quinn2023's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Drug use, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction and Rape
cateyeschloe'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
4.25
“Besides, why would a woman do something like that?”
“Why would a man do something like that?”
“… Wind Gap, a town that demands utmost femininity in its fairer sex…”
“‘I don’t mean this to sound cruel… but it seems like a part of your heart can never work if you don’t have kids. Like it will always be shut off.’”
“‘…I mean there’s all this talk these days of God versus science, but it seems like, with babies, both sides agree. The Bible says be fruitful and multiply, and science, well, when it all boils down, that’s what women were made for, right? To bear children.’”
“‘Young ladies must be in control of their bodies because boys are not.’”
“Women didn’t kill this way, they just didn’t. You could count the list of female serial killers on one hand, and their victims were almost always male…”
“‘You’re sexiest. I’m so sick of liberal lefty men practicing sexual discrimination under the guise of protecting women against sexual discrimination…
“‘… And sometimes drunk women aren’t raped; they just make stupid choices - and to say we deserve special treatment when we’re drunk because we’re women, to say we need to be looked after, I find offensive.’”
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, and Medical content
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Pregnancy
There are many graphic displays of active self harm and the effects self harm leave behind. It is integral to the plot and prevalent throughout.There is a side character who commits suicide while in a hospital for their mental state.
Child abuse from a parent is prevalent throughout and very disturbing.
cinthiaurora's review against another edition
4.0
I think she’s a very talented writer but in some instances throughout this book the way she presents new info felt a little off.
For something that Flynn really emphasized plagues Camille’s every waking thought and influences every aspect of how she interacts with others, it just felt funny to “reveal” it half way through the novel. A novel being narrated by Camille no less.
Same thing with Adora’s violent tendencies. Up until Camille recalls the cheek biting incident, Adora was just presented to be a slightly overbearing, distant but possibly well-meaning mother. For being such a core memory you would think she would have brought this up, just, like, a little bit sooner. I understand the way to build suspense and all the strategies authors use to “leave breadcrumbs” in a story all the way up until the final climax. I understand the reason why these things couldn’t all be brought up at once. But sometimes it just felt like Camille had this selective amnesia until it was convenient for the narrative.
It felt funny, that’s all. But that’s just me being nitpicky.
Another thing that felt weird was the way Richard and Camille just, never spoke again immediately after the climax. I’m not saying it’s not realistic or that I craved any further “romance” between them, it just felt like a loose end Flynn didn’t know how to tie up so it was dropped altogether.
Anyways, those are just some of my thoughts. Great novel overall. Very twisted (in a good way) exploration of the dynamic between mother and daughter- which was rightfully the center focus of the book. Everything beyond that isn’t worth nitpicking too much. (Unless you’re like me and you like nitpicking :))
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Classism
amvera'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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, and Sexism