bellelouallen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is gross and scary and I ate it up. The MC is a vampire (?) but like the actual scary kind and reading the book from her perspective made it 10x scarier. It’s a vampire book but like is it? You never get answers on if she’s a vampire or just a lunatic, which I loved. The ending was awesome. 5/5 loved it
xoxojillzian's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
lucky it is gay
hunterrising's review against another edition
5.0
Elizabeth Engstrom is becoming one of my favorite authors. Love the different points of view woven into each chapter offering new perspectives on a character. I think we can all see ourselves reflected in the loneliness she feels and the comfort that sometimes accompanies it.
sophiefahey's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
chelsea_frodo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
hidden gem
I came across this book from an online recommendation. Holy cow this was an amazing read. Angelina is such a great character. I am surprised that this book is not known across the wider audience.
I came across this book from an online recommendation. Holy cow this was an amazing read. Angelina is such a great character. I am surprised that this book is not known across the wider audience.
hellokatya's review
i wanted to like it so badly, but i just could not get into it.
maybe one day i’ll come back to it, but for now, it’s just not what i’m wanting
maybe one day i’ll come back to it, but for now, it’s just not what i’m wanting
ljzapico's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
4.5
inuklilacdiesel's review
4.0
tw: sexual assault, sexual violence, child death, violence, mental illness
I'm still working on exactly how I feel about this novel, and what I would rate it. My rating will likely change, especially upon rereading.
My thoughts, after just finishing it, are... uh, holy fuck. This book was a lot.
The writing style was impeccable. I love a good unreliable narrator, I liked how personal it felt, she was baring her soul to us, trying to explain her story, and why she did the horrible (terrifying) things she did. Murder, that is, this girl KILLS.
My main problems with the text surrounded some of the triggers I listed, namely that sexual assault plays a very prominent role in this book that I'm unsure how to feel about as a survivor. There isn't a ton of detail, in fact, a perk of this book for me is that even the gore and horror of what she does to these people is kind of brushed over and explained away with lofty romantic language. Her kills are contextualized as Angelina's adoration for Her, the voice of the being that she's trying to please with these murders. Mental illness, as a theme, is another element of this book that I'm still trying to grapple with my own thoughts on.
I'll reread it again, soon, and try to focus more on what it is that makes me so... I dunno. These are supposed to be scenes that cause discomfort, obviously, but ultimately what matters is how the text handles these moments and I'm not sure if these were handled in a way that I would want to recommend this book to people I know.
I liked this book! Don't get me wrong! I think I just need more time to formulate a stronger sense of what it is that got under my skin on this read-through. The language of the novel was beautiful, the plot was compelling, I saw a few reviews that said it was slow in the middle, but I personally felt that the way that the novel was structured was perfect for me. Each chapter ends with an italicized section from either another character or Boyd's perspective, which I think added so much to my understanding of the novel's events and the speed at which I read each chapter.
Anyways, I'll update this later, lol.
I'm still working on exactly how I feel about this novel, and what I would rate it. My rating will likely change, especially upon rereading.
My thoughts, after just finishing it, are... uh, holy fuck. This book was a lot.
The writing style was impeccable. I love a good unreliable narrator, I liked how personal it felt, she was baring her soul to us, trying to explain her story, and why she did the horrible (terrifying) things she did. Murder, that is, this girl KILLS.
My main problems with the text surrounded some of the triggers I listed, namely that sexual assault plays a very prominent role in this book that I'm unsure how to feel about as a survivor. There isn't a ton of detail, in fact, a perk of this book for me is that even the gore and horror of what she does to these people is kind of brushed over and explained away with lofty romantic language. Her kills are contextualized as Angelina's adoration for Her, the voice of the being that she's trying to please with these murders. Mental illness, as a theme, is another element of this book that I'm still trying to grapple with my own thoughts on.
I'll reread it again, soon, and try to focus more on what it is that makes me so... I dunno. These are supposed to be scenes that cause discomfort, obviously, but ultimately what matters is how the text handles these moments and I'm not sure if these were handled in a way that I would want to recommend this book to people I know.
I liked this book! Don't get me wrong! I think I just need more time to formulate a stronger sense of what it is that got under my skin on this read-through. The language of the novel was beautiful, the plot was compelling, I saw a few reviews that said it was slow in the middle, but I personally felt that the way that the novel was structured was perfect for me. Each chapter ends with an italicized section from either another character or Boyd's perspective, which I think added so much to my understanding of the novel's events and the speed at which I read each chapter.
Anyways, I'll update this later, lol.
janeyd123's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
beckylouise2904's review
4.0
Enjoyable horror that gets somewhat darker towards the end, although I felt prepared after reading "When Darkness Loves Us" ! An engaging plot and interesting character development, I'd recommend to all horror fans.