radiantdara's review against another edition
1.0
I thought people were exaggerating when they said the villain was easy to guess. Nope. I guessed it within the first few chapters.
The RPG aspect is barely utilised, and when it does come into the story, it’s poorly done and surface-level. There are also way too many perspectives, and they all blur together. The characters are all in the same room with no differing diction or opinions on certain events. I didn’t care about anyone in this book.
The RPG aspect is barely utilised, and when it does come into the story, it’s poorly done and surface-level. There are also way too many perspectives, and they all blur together. The characters are all in the same room with no differing diction or opinions on certain events. I didn’t care about anyone in this book.
01hannah10's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
irvherbblinger's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.75
cowboyjulie's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. this book was pretty good! i think it was pretty predictable, though. I liked the diversity of the characters, but they were very flat and needed more of a backstory. I have been a fan of this author’s work in the past and this book did not disappoint.
scrollsofdragons's review against another edition
4.0
this had some spooky moments but the moment they left the cabin, it lost that a bit.
slstratton22's review against another edition
1.0
I hate that I have to say this, but I’m truly disappointed in this book. It made absolutely no sense to me. There was so much back and forth between the current time, and then there were so many flashbacks. There were so many side stories, and character explanations that it felt like the main story got lost on the pages.
I hate when I don’t like books, but this one was just not it for me.
I hate when I don’t like books, but this one was just not it for me.
rhensie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
I picked up this book without looking at the reviews, because I loved Nijkamp's At The End of Everything so damn much. In hindsight, seeing these reviews is super confusing to me. Is this the best written novel in the world? No, indeed it's not even close to my favourite of the author's. You can tell that there has been a lot of growth in their writing between these two books.
But, it is compelling and gripping (despite figuring out the 'Big Bad' pretty fast), and this is most certainly not 'forced diversity'. This is a story that very much acknowledges that queer and disabled kids tend to come together and, furthermore, how people in positions of power can exploit them and their desperate wish for friends.
Also, this book criminally undersells itself by not mentioning the DND elements in the synopsis. These really make the book for me - I absolutely loved the GM narrative interludes.
But, it is compelling and gripping (despite figuring out the 'Big Bad' pretty fast), and this is most certainly not 'forced diversity'. This is a story that very much acknowledges that queer and disabled kids tend to come together and, furthermore, how people in positions of power can exploit them and their desperate wish for friends.
Also, this book criminally undersells itself by not mentioning the DND elements in the synopsis. These really make the book for me - I absolutely loved the GM narrative interludes.
tyiennasreads's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5