pernillelsk'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
2.5
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Death, Violence, Pregnancy, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Homophobia, Medical content, Stalking, Infidelity, and Miscarriage
miranda_is_reading'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
4.0
This book is pretty violent and descriptive of gory scenes, so if you’re sensitive to topics I don’t suggest reading.
Graphic: Blood, Vomit, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Drug abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Mental illness, Child abuse, Cursing, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Addiction, Cancer, Medical content, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Self harm
Minor: Dementia, Grief, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Transphobia, Outing, and Incest
jerica'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
4.75
There is an immense amount of detail, creativity, and care that went into writing this book. The only things keeping it from a 5-star rating are 1) there was one detail I read that didn't make sense and wasn't addressed again and 2) Andy and Laura made some really dumb decisions that made me want to scream. These decisions make the characters human though. We all say stupid things and make mistakes that, in hindsight, we should have known would backfire. Although it wasn't terribly easy to relate to the characters in many ways due to the unique storyline, they were very well-developed.
I am usually someone who can predict everything that will happen. While I did predict quite a few things in this book, there was one point where my jaw literally fell open and I verbalized my disbelief aloud. I think that a majority of readers will find this story to be a rollercoaster with surprises at every turn! I also appreciated that, although this book addresses very dark topics, it does so in a way that (at least for me) does not create a trauma reaction for the reader.
As usual, my review is an aimless rambling. Long story short: I highly recommend this book!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Gun violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Stalking, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Torture
Minor: Incest, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Excrement, Body shaming, Dementia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Drug abuse, Rape, Vomit, and Sexual assault
hanahf'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
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Addiction, Homophobia, and Rape
madlain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Homophobia, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Dementia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Classism, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Blood, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Violence, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Gore, and Gun violence
Moderate: Rape and Racism
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Body shaming
jinx_mars's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Classism, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Self harm, Racism, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
fcwelles00's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Gun violence
cady_sass's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I’m a sucker for a good true crime/cult vibe and this is the perfect mixture. The story is told between two perspectives, present day Andrea and her mother Laura in the wake of a horrific public shooting they found themselves in the middle of, and the story of Jane and a group of friends in the early 80s unwittingly recruited into a extremist activist group that spirals out of control in the wake of one of their members acting impulsively off-plan. The two stories slowly weave their way closer to each other and converge, with many twists and turns along the way.
As with every Karin Slaughter novel, the list of trigger warnings is EXTENSIVE so be mindful before picking it up.
Edited to add: I had no idea that the author was choosing to continue Andrea’s story in her upcoming novel, which I had already unknowingly ordered in my BOTM! Can’t wait to see how this story continues
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Cursing, Blood, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Medical content, Torture, Sexual assault, Incest, Grief, Forced institutionalization, and Pregnancy
erica_reads_things'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
4.75
Spoiler
Towards the end, the authors tone while discussing domestic violence themes was a bit off putting. Though I understand that it was from the perspective of the narrator, it still threw me off. I wish that the main characters talked less about the blame for their own "choices" and more about the incredibly intense manipulation and coercion that lewd to those "choices". Are they really choices at all then?Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Medical content, Homophobia, and Cancer
bgoodbookclub's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I feel like if trigger/content warnings for Karin Slaughter books was a multiple choice question, the answer would be all of the above.
Graphic: Murder and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Death, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Blood
Minor: Drug use, Addiction, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Dementia, Suicide, and Rape