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nellzzzz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Abortion, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Grief, and Alcohol
trippalli's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Not for the feint of heart
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I read this in one sitting because I wanted to know what happened. I genuinely adored Tokyo Ever After & Mika In Real Life. Soooo, I was beyond thrilled that EJ was writing an adult thriller/mystery!
Ellie Black returns two years after she went missing and is apprehensive to working with the police to bring her kidnapper (and alleged murderer, because other girls have gone missing and their bodies had been found later). She is skittish, disoriented, and understandably uninterested in discussing what happened to her. The detective on the case wants to bring Ellie’s kidnapper to justice, with extra pressure from her boss, Sergeant Abbott. Chelsey’s sister Lydia also went missing and was murdered when Chelsey was in high school, so she has an added layer of wanting to succeed in finding the man who did this to Ellie.
So ultimately, the mystery and little reveals were quite clever, and J genuinely was deeply intrigued by Ellie’s first-person narrative chapters as she recounted her time in being kidnapped. I thought that the set up and unraveling of this mystery were actually executed quite well! I really appreciated and lamented with the overarching message of the story, with regards to how society normalizes violence and abuse against women. Misogyny is a widespread issue, and incels are a danger to us all. I totally agree!
However, I wish the main character of this story (Chelsey — transracial Japanese adoptee of a white family) was not a cop, and not proud to be a cop. I have just kind of had it with cop stories, especially when they’re painted as the heroes. Chelsey even mentions her “cop origin story” when tying it back to making her late cop dad proud. I just don’t vibe with it. She could have been a private investigator, the former best friend of Ellie Black, a former teacher of Ellie Black, a journalist, whatever! Anyway, her occupation really bothered me.
Overall, I enjoyed the story but it frustrated me that Chelsey was so thrilled to be a cop🥴
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content