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doahdancer'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
3.75
What I didn't enjoy was the spell constantly being broken by the unblievability of most characters' decisions. I'm not an avid reader of mysteries by any means, so some of this might be genre-typical and I'm not in-the-know, but the way everybody kept secret even the most benign thoughts and feelings after this huge tragedy did not resonate with me. When huge disaster strikes, I've always known people to discuss it at length with loved ones. They analyze it to death wondering if things could have been different. Not to be too IRL, but 9/11 is a great example for the Americans in the room. We still obsessively discuss even the smallest details of that day, where we were, how we felt.
So yeah, the secrecy plot device didn't work for me.
I also was really disappointed by the ending. There's a huge climax, everyone is involved, all the secrets come out... but last chapter? All you get is
Gah!! The experience of reading this book was so good so I'm still rating it pretty well, but the ending left me bitter.
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
kbowles24's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Sexual content, Violence, and Pregnancy
imds's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
fionamatilda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
slvt4b00ks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
harley_sage's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism