ruthypoo2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Terminal illness, Cancer, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Emotional abuse, Violence, Addiction, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, and Miscarriage
Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, Child death, Blood, Classism, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Chronic illness, and Dementia
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
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
ashlynhammer95's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Cursing, Addiction, Death of parent, Abortion, and Death
dosxhime's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The novel goes between Jane and Andrea, who tries to discover her mother's true identity that caused her to go on the run. Andrea's growth was refreshing and cathartic to witness as it comes to light in the climax. And Jane's story intertwines with Andrea's backstory well.
The plot twists were predictable and didn't have the gut punch like Pretty Girls (rip it out of my cold dead hands that this is one of Slaughter's greatest books). However, it was done in a masterful and emotional way that I let it slide.
I was blind sided when Slaughter released a sequel to this novel so NOW I gotta go and read it. But, I am very excited for what she puts next for Andrea.
4 /5 B-
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, and Suicide
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Pedophilia and Mental illness
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
cassiereadsbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Addiction, Blood, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
kvoss93's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Gun violence
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