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nordicat'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
4.25
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Infidelity
kibiiiariii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Acephobia/Arophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism, and Deportation
pkc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
chaos_na_regale'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
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent
heather_freshparchment's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, Slavery, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, and Deportation
heyitsashleigh'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
justovereherereading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed seeing Alexandra’s character develop & seeing how Bess’s life unfolded.
Enjoyed immensely.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual violence and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
wallflovver's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
both books have the common theme of motherhood with complex female characters at the forefront
i was completely gripped by this book, stacey manages to write in a way that is easy to consume and so tense. every time i had to put it down, i couldnt wait to pick up where i left off
i really enjoyed the way the story panned out, there was a point towards the end where i couldn't see a happy ending for all involved - of course, i was wrong
the two perspectives really worked, and it helped to fully flesh out both alexandra's and bess' characters/back story
the male characters in the familiars were all so hateable, but i liked the male characters in this book (with one main exception). doctor mead and lyle were just chef's kiss in my opinion!
thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend!
Graphic: Kidnapping and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault, Blood, Excrement, and Vomit
bookishpip'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
It’s set in London in 1754, and follows Bess Bright - a woman who, due to her poverty, had given her child to the local children’s hospital/orphanage six years prior. Having saved money to reclaim her child, she arrives to find that her child had already been claimed - by someone claiming to be Bess.
I loved the pace and tone of this book. I really enjoyed that the reader got to experience the perspectives of both Bess and Alexandra. I also love the time and attention went into crafting some of the secondary characters, so that I was invested in all of the characters involved. It covered some dark subject matter such as alcohol abuse and PTSD symptoms resulting from past trauma - but despite some of the darker themes this was still overall an enjoyable read. Halls writes in a way so alluring that it was never a chore and I struggled to put the book down.
Highly recommended!
Moderate: Alcoholism
bookswithgeorgia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism