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minimicropup'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
5.0
๐บGrowls, Howls, and Tail Wags๐
๐ The present tense narration directed exclusively at the podcast host added to the creepy elements and drew me in from the first chapter. I did not want this book to end and there were multiple times where I thought "where could we possibly go from here?"
๐๐ If you aren't big into true crime I think this would still be an interesting story, but if you are a fan or regular consumer, it's enhanced by references to common tips and actual 'infamous' true crime cases paired with fictionalized ones that seemed so plausible I found myself looking them up. Each chapter starts with a blurb from a case that hints at the theme and event to come.
๐ฅบ The character development (respectfully) plays in the area between highly sensitive neurodivergence and completely unhinged delusional danger. At first I was there for all the cringe Sera brings to the story but then I started to care for her. It isn't contrived or convenient, but she was still annoying so you may struggle with this if you don't like think-yelling things like "what is WRONG with you?!" and "No, no do NOT go over there and say those things!"
๐คช Creepy small town isolation with an odd family done right. Each character is 'off' in their own way and we go back and forth about trusting them and their explanations for what is going on. The isolation comes from not knowing where the safe spaces are anymore and being too invested to leave...but still being able to.
๐ณ I wish there was a ranch map at the start. The ranch has all these well drawn out regions where we spend a lot of time and I kept misplacing them in relation to others.
๐ The suspense comes from the eerie undercurrent, figuring out who to trust, getting invested along with the MC in what is going on and if anyone is even in danger and if so, who? There are times where nothing much happens but I love that in stories as long as it's used to build more suspense and mystery and is paired with good character, plot, or world development.
๐คทโโ๏ธ This is the kind of story where you can predict what happened because we are consistently getting clues (and lets face it, our MC is rather dense), but possibilities are varied so even if you guess the 'big bad', there is still the mystery of why and how. The ending felt too chaotic and rushed at one point, but it evened out.
๐บ I want this to be a mini-series. It reminded by of Bloodline on Netflix (vibes, not story).
- Plot and themes around true crime (podcasts and listeners) and domesticity
- Missing person that reads like a true crime case
- Slightly โoffโ broken narrator + creepy everybody
- Eerie isolated small town and secretive ranch world building
- Stuck together/forced proximity romance
For animal death and cruelty:
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Vomit, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content and Car accident
nickoliver's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Vomit, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual content and Pregnancy
carisamarie'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
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol