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alexxrose's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This book was just okay, verging on boring for most of it. I had the "updated" version where the kids had cellphones but to serve the plot they were constantly letting them die or forgetting them somewhere. I would have rather read the original.
The while story takes place over less than a week and, given one person being shot, feels very low stakes. There is no real tension as nobody dies and no mystery is given time to unfold. In fact the characters spend very little time knowing they're in danger. When the twist is revealed the reader has very little time to sit with the story before things end with very few loose ends. The characters start out with compelling back stories, interesting family dynamics, and a compelling back story to their friendship, but none of it really goes anywhere.
I'm not surprised that the movie is more iconic than the book.
Also, just a pet peeve about the "modernizing" done to the story: if you're going to take the time to update technology, you should update every aspect of it, not just the language used. Helen deejays a "webcast" but does so on a local news channel when she could have been updated to be an influencer to fit with the. Characters explain things away by assuming the person taunting them looked them up in phone book, when it should have been stalking them on social media. Sure the book was originally written in the '70s, but either it should be kept as being set in the '70s or the author should have committed to updating it properly.
The while story takes place over less than a week and, given one person being shot, feels very low stakes. There is no real tension as nobody dies and no mystery is given time to unfold. In fact the characters spend very little time knowing they're in danger. When the twist is revealed the reader has very little time to sit with the story before things end with very few loose ends. The characters start out with compelling back stories, interesting family dynamics, and a compelling back story to their friendship, but none of it really goes anywhere.
I'm not surprised that the movie is more iconic than the book.
Also, just a pet peeve about the "modernizing" done to the story: if you're going to take the time to update technology, you should update every aspect of it, not just the language used. Helen deejays a "webcast" but does so on a local news channel when she could have been updated to be an influencer to fit with the. Characters explain things away by assuming the person taunting them looked them up in phone book, when it should have been stalking them on social media. Sure the book was originally written in the '70s, but either it should be kept as being set in the '70s or the author should have committed to updating it properly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Classism
odrib's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Car accident, Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Drug use
ruthiedr89's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Stalking, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Sexism
Minor: Body shaming, Car accident, and Death of parent
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