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carojust'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
3.0
The story shifts between Elodie's POV as a baker's wife, and her letters to her friend Violet. It starts plain and quite boring, unravels very slowly, and then drops the plot twist over a few pages in a nightmarish daze.
The main theme is obsession, the need to live as someone else, and steal their life, their love, their intimacies. It's a heavy focus on masochistic, degrading fantasy, born from boredom, neglect, and Elodie's invisibility as a woman and sexual being.
The writing is one long fever dream that gets more twisted and confusing as you go. It was hard for me to find footing, which is probably purposeful. Even the time period was hard for me to figure out. This kind of verbose, vague inner monologue writing style often loses me, but give it a try if you're into that, as well as really demented characters.
Graphic: Body horror, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
ariparip's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I was so excited to read this book and was so disappointed. It is extremely slow. The audiobook is only 5 hours and I listened on 1.25 speed but it still took me over a month to finish. I kept reading thinking the pace might pick up and because I was interested in the characters, but the prose was flowery without real substance.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
capacitorofflux'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
3.5
A chilling, mad tale based on a real life event.
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Suicide, Blood, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Sexual content, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
bronzeageholly'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
3.0
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes beautifully crafted characters who it’s hard to wholly like or hate.
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
misskatz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
madamelacy'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail