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bearikatherika's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Cursing, Death, Suicide, Torture, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
isolated_matrix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cannibalism and Murder
black_october's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
renegadegrocerycart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Genuinely one of the best books I’ve ever read, but I’d never recommend it to anyone because it’s objectively horrifying. I’ve had nightmares about botulism and cannibalism for weeks. This book will stay with me forever.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
cbug412'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
athryn'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
Overall a great story with a lot of twists and turns. I actually felt cold reading this. It's sometimes a bit of a bummer, but also I love seeing hubris take people, especially colonial era Brits.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
elvenpanther's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
While I did enjoy the meandering pace and high detail, I'll admit that when it came to some of the authors more technical descriptions of the naval structures and ships I may have zoned out a bit. I didn't feel that it took away from the story at all, I appreciated it, it's just not a topic I am super familiar with.
The cast of characters, while mainly being men of the British Navy, was still diverse in their personalities, backgrounds, and beliefs. There where characters I truly liked, that handled the circumstance of their situation with grace, such as Lieutenant John Irving and Ice Master Thomas Blanky. Given the nature of what had befallen the crew of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, not every character could be expected to handle themselves with dignity and poise. Dan Simmons did a good job of showing both sides of the coin when it came to men's dispositions when faced with a very bleak and dangerous, life threatening event. Their were characters that I despised because their nature was so abhorrent. You would find yourself rooting for the survival of some while hoping karma caught up to others.
Crozier was a very interesting, but troubled character. It felt that his life had been spent in a struggle between who he truly was and who he tried to shape himself into as a member of the Royal British Navy. He was accomplished, but seemed looked down upon by others in his rank. He was bitter, and I couldn't blame him for it. Despite his demons he showed a loyalty to his crew that was very admirable. I feel like the ending was appropriate for him. While the last couple chapters did deviate from the style of the rest of the novel, I liked that they brought some understanding to what it was that hunted the men on the ice and why. I enjoyed that it delved into native lore and gave the novel that slightly fantastical twist.
There is so much I could say about this novel and I could go on for quite a while. I had rented a copy from my library, but the day after I finished it, I ordered a copy to keep on my shelf. I expect that this is one of those novels that I will revisit at another time or flip through when the mood strikes.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gore, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, and Alcohol
cviii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
b_lownds127's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
quillsand's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
that said the other 95% of the book was disturbing as all hell and bleak as fuck. but like, in a good way. i read this whilst at a festival and i kept returning to my tent to read instead of watching acts. the vivid descriptions of scurvy gave me trouble sleeping and i stopped readig it in public places because i couldn't control my facial expressions of horror/revulsion/despair. also i think scurvy has now replaced both pregnancy and getting my wisdom teeth taken out on my list of greatest fears, meaning it is now #2 behind moths.
parts that really got to me included
i just think it says something that depsite having watched the show and knowing how everything plays out and already being very distrubred by the show, the book managed to somehow provoke an even stronger reaction and kept me so gripped i got through all 750 pages in under 5 days whilst being at a music festival. book ratings are based off of my connection to the book and despite all it's issues i sure did feel many things whilst reading this!!! the real terror is the slowly creeping inevitability of certain death and the fact that we know!! we know that no matter how hard these character struggle, they will all be claimed by the ice by the time the book is finished!! there's beauty in that and in the sheer humanity of how different people respond to the certainty of death in different ways. makes me a little bit insane if i think about it too much.
i do think the supernatural aspects were the weakest point for me and the last 80 pages were therefore not as strong as the rest but only because the realism of the horror was already at its peak (also the aforementioned ick about using Inuit culture as a backdrop for horror fiction but anyway) with the scurvy and the frostbite and the starvation and whatnot.
id on't know man sometimes you just need a horrifying horrific tragedy heavily based on real events that deeply disturbs and upsets you in order to cope!!!!
i think i am going to rewatch the show now.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism