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rhi_'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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
Minor: Transphobia, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing
the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
atomicbritt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Sexual content
c_alexander'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
5.0
loved this - loved the complex characters and relationships, the imagery, tone, and the pacing!
was disappointed side characters weren't further developed - especially in terms of the bipoc characters; racism is a theme explored in the book but in a really brief capacity considering its relevance
took a little while to 'pick up' but had me hooked in the second half
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child death, Car accident, and Death of parent
btaylorb'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? Yes
5.0
The comparisons to The Raven Cycle are very accurate. There were some occasional descriptive moments that were confusing and I would have to re-read, but overall I loved this. Spooky shit, southern gothic, magic that is a stand-in for something else, a hint of dark academia and ending that is a glimmer of hope while also guaranteeing nothing, hurts so good, satisfyingly unsatisfying.
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Suicide, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content and Torture
Minor: Racism, Toxic friendship, and Classism
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This was a really fascinating horror / mystery / coming-of-age story about Andrew, who had decided to join his best friend Eddie at his graduate program. However, before Andrew arrives, Eddie dies by suicide, and Andrew is left with Eddie's inheritance, house, and so many unanswered questions about how Eddie got to that point of despair. Andrew begins to question the motives of the folks who were in Eddie's life, wonders if there was more to Eddie's death than what appears, and is thrust into this life of fast cars (I guess this is marketed as Fast & the Furious, but make it southern gothic? I guess I co-sign that?), drugs, sex, and suspicious relationship dynamics.
Overall, this was a deeply atmospheric book, and I could easily visualize the setting. The author did a wonderful job in the setup and creating an eerie setting. The pace is incredibly slow, so just be mindful of that. I had to come back to this multiple times because I kept falling asleep *cries in "I'm sorry!"* As far as the characters, I didn't particularly love or root for any of them, but I appreciated the authenticity in which they display anger, callousness, carelessness, and defensiveness. Andrew is grieving his best friend, he is confused about it, and he is getting to know an entirely new group of people, which can often be disorienting on its own. Throw in a dark academia southern gothic setting of universities where there may be hexes afoot and certainly are systemically oppressive structures at play? Sheesh. That sounds like a nightmare to navigate. I get it. However, I didn't feel particularly pulled to Andrew in the way I should have as a main character, at least not until the very end.
Overall, I think this is an impressive debut, and I will absolutely read more from the author in the future, but I deeply struggled to maintain interest in this slow-paced novel.
Moderate: Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
nikoops'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: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying
eliotadrift'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
cheesepuppy's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, and Alcohol
jojothefool's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Vomit, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Minor: Cannibalism, Car accident, and Death of parent