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bibliomania_express's review
1.0
I have never been so mad at a book the way I am at this book, and the fact that people have been recommending it "without spoiling" is irresponsible. This is not a thriller - this is a book of thinly veiled psychological torture porn with the most basic critique of social media and reality TV.
I'm mad I spent hours being anxious and upset for a cheap last page twist. I'm mad that this book had the audacity to inflict such pain on characters and not grapple with the absolute moral failings of the world it presents. To suggests that a scenario like the one in this book would be brushed aside by the world at large - by friends, loved ones, even strangers - is disgusting and angering.
This is essentially The Truman Show meets the dark web. The main character (and some others) is confined on a ship against her will, tricked into staying, forced to complete life-threatening tasks, not allowed to leave, and forced to think multiple people died. All in the name of a "new, bold reality show".
I do not reccomend. In fact, I don't think I'll ever read another book by this author.
I'm so mad that the vague premise made me intrigued and hid all this evilness, and that there wasn't a single trigger warning provided up front.
Trigger warnings for: confinement, kidnapoing, starvation, psychological torture, (apparent) suicide, violence, gore, (apparent) murder, drugging, gaslighting, past parental emotional abuse, addiction, past teen pregnancy.
I'm mad I spent hours being anxious and upset for a cheap last page twist. I'm mad that this book had the audacity to inflict such pain on characters and not grapple with the absolute moral failings of the world it presents. To suggests that a scenario like the one in this book would be brushed aside by the world at large - by friends, loved ones, even strangers - is disgusting and angering.
This is essentially The Truman Show meets the dark web. The main character (and some others) is confined on a ship against her will, tricked into staying, forced to complete life-threatening tasks, not allowed to leave, and forced to think multiple people died. All in the name of a "new, bold reality show".
I do not reccomend. In fact, I don't think I'll ever read another book by this author.
I'm so mad that the vague premise made me intrigued and hid all this evilness, and that there wasn't a single trigger warning provided up front.
Trigger warnings for: confinement, kidnapoing, starvation, psychological torture, (apparent) suicide, violence, gore, (apparent) murder, drugging, gaslighting, past parental emotional abuse, addiction, past teen pregnancy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Dementia, and Pregnancy
fromsarahsbooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Vomit
sophiesbookshelf2's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Easy to read, not very good though.
The short chapters mean you can get through a lot in one sitting and there was an interesting premise there, the writing is OK, easy to read.
The rest is not great, gets increasingly not great and the ending, to me, was bad
The short chapters mean you can get through a lot in one sitting and there was an interesting premise there, the writing is OK, easy to read.
The rest is not great, gets increasingly not great and the ending, to me, was bad
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Kidnapping
czoltak's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I’m convinced I read a completely different book than everyone else 🤨 I hated this. The characters were annoying and that was one of the worst plot twists I’ve ever read. I don’t understand why people enjoy experiencing other people being physiological tortured or pushed to their absolute limits
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
disguisedposer's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
kdheuer's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- 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
I started reading this after Marc Sebastian’s followers chose it on the world cruise. Thanks to Atria Books for sponsoring him!
I have mixed feelings about this book. If I had been reading a hard copy, I would have chucked it across the room upon reading the first major twist. The pacing kept me going, but I had a big chip on my shoulder for the rest of the book. I felt as manipulated as our main character did the whole way through. After putting the readers through what they did, the twist ending felt like a slap in the face.
Still, I like a thriller, and I was on the edge of my proverbial seat. I just wish I didn’t feel so manipulated.
I have mixed feelings about this book. If I had been reading a hard copy, I would have chucked it across the room upon reading the first major twist. The pacing kept me going, but I had a big chip on my shoulder for the rest of the book. I felt as manipulated as our main character did the whole way through. After putting the readers through what they did, the twist ending felt like a slap in the face.
Still, I like a thriller, and I was on the edge of my proverbial seat. I just wish I didn’t feel so manipulated.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
collinsd's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction and Drug abuse
A mix of locked room mystery/ The Truman Show/ Wreck/ Black Mirror/Then There Were None and Lord of the Flies. If Trauma Porn, Gaslighting and Father issues was a book. Short snappy chapters but terrible ending if I wasn't reading this on my laptop I would've flung it across the room.booksbytheglass's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- 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
3.5
what a creative and bizarre story!! it definitely gave me MAJOR manifest vibes with how eerie and unbelievable the plot was! I mean, if you woke up to a completely deserted cruise ship, I think I would just simply lose my mind 🤯
I have no idea what I was expecting from this one after will dean’s previous novel FIRST BORN completely blew me away, but going in blind to this one was well worth it!
this slow-burn thriller left a bunch of clues throughout, like bread crumbs, but it left me feeling very unsatisfied in the end… the plot twists didn’t give a satisfied conclusion, in my opinion, and I felt just as discombobulated as MC caz was. I just couldn’t get around the legal ramifications of this and how f*cked up the entire plot really was.
for me, I tend to enjoy believable thrillers more than those out of left field, and I highly doubt anything like this plot (which I’m leaving out for spoiler purposes) would happen in real life. it was just a little too out there for my taste, BUT it was truly a heart-pounding adventure from start to finish!
thank you to netgalley and atria books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! I’m addicted to will dean’s writing!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley pinot noir
I have no idea what I was expecting from this one after will dean’s previous novel FIRST BORN completely blew me away, but going in blind to this one was well worth it!
this slow-burn thriller left a bunch of clues throughout, like bread crumbs, but it left me feeling very unsatisfied in the end… the plot twists didn’t give a satisfied conclusion, in my opinion, and I felt just as discombobulated as MC caz was. I just couldn’t get around the legal ramifications of this and how f*cked up the entire plot really was.
for me, I tend to enjoy believable thrillers more than those out of left field, and I highly doubt anything like this plot (which I’m leaving out for spoiler purposes) would happen in real life. it was just a little too out there for my taste, BUT it was truly a heart-pounding adventure from start to finish!
thank you to netgalley and atria books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! I’m addicted to will dean’s writing!!
rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley pinot noir
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Suicide attempt
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