cosmo_naut's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I read this book in one night, in the midst of exam season, because I just had to know that I was right with my predictions and guesses. I liked it in general and I had a good time reading it.
I don't think the prose will be to everyone's taste. It's supposed to be dark academia, so the book is littered with literary references that occasionally are rewarding to understand, but often seem very piled on. I did appreciate some of the meta-level a few of those discussions had. The plot was quite predictable (even for a newbie like me) and I could guess the plot twist pretty early on. I didn't really mind the tropy-ness of the book but I've seen some other reviewers complain about. The ending seemed really rushed which was a bit disappointing because the build up of the tension was really good. I would have loved to spend more time on the aftermath of everything that happened. Instead, it feels like it was brushed off. The main character is 18 and this book being a mystery and Young Adult, I didn't mind her making a couple of stupid decisions - and in the grand scheme of things her decisions did make sense. The side characters sadly fell a bit flat. If the book had been 50, or even 100, pages longer, I think there would be the space to flesh out these characters as well as the ending more.
Whatever the technical issues with the book may be: I had a good time reading it. I would definitel recommend checking the content warnings before reading it - there's some pretty heavy things in here.
Graphic: Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
rorykluciarova's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Blood, Death, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content
kshertz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, and Gore
takarakei's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoiler
In the end there not being any magic was not where I wanted it to go. But I guess it's not fantasy tagged so maybe that was the giveaway? But 'witchcraft' is literally also used in the description, so...Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, and Drug use
Minor: Racism, Eating disorder, and Sexual content
I had to skip a whole chapter cause of TW: animal death, so... yeah (explicit scenes of hunting)zoeelora's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Gore, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Stalking, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Grief, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Murder, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Gun violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Suicide, Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Fatphobia, Gore, Lesbophobia, Outing, Racism, Sexual content, and Vomit
brukneem's review
- 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
Moderate: Mental illness, Alcohol, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Panic attacks/disorders
squinnittowinit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Spoiler
the narrator slowly reveals herself to be more and more unreliable as she deals with both past trauma and current manipulation.Graphic: Murder, Child death, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Addiction
Minor: Blood and Gun violence
lipstickitotheman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Classism, Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Blood, Alcoholism, Addiction, Murder, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Drug use
Minor: Sexual content
rais's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Blood and Alcohol