hollynoellejoan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
verypeculiarbooks's review against another edition
Not a fan of some of the content
birdee_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
tired_cicada's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
This book was absolutely INSANE and I loved every second of it! Finished in one sitting.
Gothic horror at its finest, with twists and turns that had me at the edge of my seat!
Gothic horror at its finest, with twists and turns that had me at the edge of my seat!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Murder, Confinement, Abandonment, and Body horror
Moderate: Death, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Pedophilia, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
laitstrawberry's review
5.0
the writing was so pretty like?!?! the descriptions were magical! the whole atmosphere was well-written as expected for a gothic tale. it's pretty short, but it took me a hot minute to finish because the writing was so immersive, i would sit and think about like every page lol
i definitely predicted the ending pretty early on, but i wasn't too sure if i was right and i didn't know how it would?? happen???
as well, i feel like some people might not like the purple prose cuz it might hinder the reading experience in regards to the plot? but i found that it gives off a dreamlike state? like, you couldn't tell what's real and it read like an actual fairytale.
ALSO! the synopsis is kind of misleading because it made me think that it would mostly be about their marriage, but it's predominantly about best friends and their dark, twisted coming of age story.
i definitely predicted the ending pretty early on, but i wasn't too sure if i was right and i didn't know how it would?? happen???
as well, i feel like some people might not like the purple prose cuz it might hinder the reading experience in regards to the plot? but i found that it gives off a dreamlike state? like, you couldn't tell what's real and it read like an actual fairytale.
ALSO! the synopsis is kind of misleading because it made me think that it would mostly be about their marriage, but it's predominantly about best friends and their dark, twisted coming of age story.
alexabookish's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars✨ a dark, gothic, whimsical, and lovely fairytale. breathtaking writing, and a fantastic twist ending. i predicted it, but only 2 pages before the reveal, which are the best kind of twists. the kind that are so expertly executed that you are putting together all the breadcrumbs that have been left throughout the whole book alongside the character in real time. what a treat it was.
aine001's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thatsoneforthebooks's review against another edition
3.0
I think I would have liked this more if I had read it as opposed to listening ...it was hard to track the dual POVs and different timelines via audio.
I really enjoyed the gothic vibes of this and the sense of mystery / horror that pervaded the novel. The atmosphere / environment building was well done. I was curious / engaged as I tried to put it all together. Ultimately though, the dual POV didn't work for me here in audio. I really wanted to love it and am bummed I didn't!
Thanks to HarperAudio and Netgalley for an early copy of this audiobook.
I really enjoyed the gothic vibes of this and the sense of mystery / horror that pervaded the novel. The atmosphere / environment building was well done. I was curious / engaged as I tried to put it all together. Ultimately though, the dual POV didn't work for me here in audio. I really wanted to love it and am bummed I didn't!
Thanks to HarperAudio and Netgalley for an early copy of this audiobook.