ohkaereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was a four-star read up until around the 300-ish page mark. While it kept its momentum, the story got a bit convoluted and melodramatic. The One is a relatively contemplative and surely fascinating read as well as strong enough to carry the weight of all its characters and their five different storylines (I stray away from saying povs because we get a pov from two ‘matches’ at two points in the book) but its thrilling nature outweighs its literary lure. It lacks satisfying characterization, balanced unrest and rest, and inoffensive narration. While the book is immersive and the stories anchor in a tinge of reality, the characters never fully develop as people but rather stay characters who just serve to further the plot.
Those are my difficulties with the book. I felt it had potential and like the mcs with their ‘matches’, I wanted to like the book more than I actually did. I, personally, love books with a message and while this novel had one, it never delivered said message gracefully. It was an enjoyable ride but not a remarkable one.
Those are my difficulties with the book. I felt it had potential and like the mcs with their ‘matches’, I wanted to like the book more than I actually did. I, personally, love books with a message and while this novel had one, it never delivered said message gracefully. It was an enjoyable ride but not a remarkable one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Cancer, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Medical content, Stalking, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Grief, and Misogyny
Moderate: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Infertility, Ableism, Blood, Cursing, Sexism, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Alcohol
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts
lavendar_fr0g's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Genocide, Kidnapping, and Miscarriage
Minor: Incest, Grief, Sexual content, and Stalking
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