crystalb's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Car accident
gracescanlon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This just didn’t hit for me.
Strike one: The story was odd, as was the main character. Also, the narrative voice continually switched from conversational to more lofty prose, often from one sentence to the next and back again. Many of the more conversational ones were actually dependent clauses, which brought the immediate shift in tone from literary fiction-esque sentences to non-sentences into even sharper contrast.
Strike two: The book touched on issues around those who grew up with money and those who didn’t, but didn’t delve deeply into them. This was fine, actually, for much of the book, as the MC idolized the old-money characters for most of it. However, her shift in opinion of those types of characters neglected to address topics like entitlement and never knowing financial struggle or hardship. She did, however, shift her thinking on theft from such people. So to see one side of her opinion about the “haves and have-nots” change, but not the other (at least not on the page), rang insincere.
Strike three: The entire book was so predictable that when it met the tired tropes and twists without deviation, I was truly in disbelief — disbelief that anyone could be that unoriginal.
Strike one: The story was odd, as was the main character. Also, the narrative voice continually switched from conversational to more lofty prose, often from one sentence to the next and back again. Many of the more conversational ones were actually dependent clauses, which brought the immediate shift in tone from literary fiction-esque sentences to non-sentences into even sharper contrast.
Strike two: The book touched on issues around those who grew up with money and those who didn’t, but didn’t delve deeply into them. This was fine, actually, for much of the book, as the MC idolized the old-money characters for most of it. However, her shift in opinion of those types of characters neglected to address topics like entitlement and never knowing financial struggle or hardship. She did, however, shift her thinking on theft from such people. So to see one side of her opinion about the “haves and have-nots” change, but not the other (at least not on the page), rang insincere.
Strike three: The entire book was so predictable that when it met the tired tropes and twists without deviation, I was truly in disbelief — disbelief that anyone could be that unoriginal.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Misogyny, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Classism, Drug use, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
styxx's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Murder
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
kellyinbookland's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, Murder, and Death of parent
thepinkladylazarus's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Grief, and Murder
lizzym126's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Classism, Death, Toxic friendship, Blood, Car accident, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
lora_g's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
The Cloisters brings us into the life of Ann Stillwell, a young woman from the Pacific Northwest, who moves to New York to pursue a career at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, things don't work out as planned and she ends up being placed at The Cloisters. Ann spends her time at The Cloisters researching the history of Tarot for her charismatic, yet puzzling, boss Patrick.
Hays does a wonderful job building suspense throughout the book and illustrating the setting in such a way that her readers can picture the beautiful gothic surroundings of The Cloisters museum. The characters are intriguing and mysterious, however, I felt like the story was predictable and the suspense built throughout the story did not lead up to as much as I expected.
Hays does a wonderful job building suspense throughout the book and illustrating the setting in such a way that her readers can picture the beautiful gothic surroundings of The Cloisters museum. The characters are intriguing and mysterious, however, I felt like the story was predictable and the suspense built throughout the story did not lead up to as much as I expected.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder
mel024's review
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
hmm. hard to say how i feel about this book!! it felt very very derivative
of every other quote unquote dark academia book out there, but that possibly says more about the genre itself than this book in particular. the books greatest strength was also its biggest failure; the mysticism inherent in the tarot never felt real, even though Hays painstakingly explained what they meant. any mentions of ann feeling a sense of magic or power was noted in past tense, as afterthoughts. it simply failed to live up to the expectations it set for itself in the mysticism. the characters were interesting, albeit incredibly tropey — there’s not much original about the woof ok writing that out just made me knock my review down from 3.5 to 3.25. not a bad read by any means, but let’s just say i was glad i got this from the library and didn’t waste money on it
of every other quote unquote dark academia book out there, but that possibly says more about the genre itself than this book in particular. the books greatest strength was also its biggest failure; the mysticism inherent in the tarot never felt real, even though Hays painstakingly explained what they meant. any mentions of ann feeling a sense of magic or power was noted in past tense, as afterthoughts. it simply failed to live up to the expectations it set for itself in the mysticism. the characters were interesting, albeit incredibly tropey — there’s not much original about the
Spoiler
spoiled heiress turned cold blooded killer, the ambiguously brown manual laborer who never stays on the right side of the law, and the pervy academic praying on younger students.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Murder
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Eating disorder
thewillowwood's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
An interesting and fast read with a dark mystery that was entertaining to watch unravel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Drug use, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Car accident, and Suicide
Minor: Eating disorder, Alcohol, Blood, and Sexual content
amandalorianxo's review
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
This book is a wii bit slow in terms of pacing the first quarter ish of the novel. But, once all the main characters are introduced and Ann has more of a sure footing in her place at The Cloisters, it picks up. The two twists were a good touch to keep me engaged but I lowkey wish there was a confrontation or two prior to the twists. It has a little bit of dark academics vibe but not actually set in a college but a known institution.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Drug use, and Murder