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emsavors's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Sexual assault, Murder, Vomit, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Genocide, Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm
hexentart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I have mixed feelings about this book. It obviously held my interest, but it's rare to not positively engage with any character.
Catalina and Ruth get a pass, but the rest of the characters were either sick, twisted, and thoroughly evil, shallow, self-centered, and pompous, or just woefully pathetic.
Noemi, the FMC/protagonist, is nothing more than a wilful, spoiled, rich girl with delusions of grandeur. She's flaky as hell, uppity, shallow, manipulative, and pig-headed. Not to mention her naivety. She's quite obnoxious and annoying.
I honestly didn't care if any of them made it out alive, but the writing held my interest until the very end. I needed to see how this all resolved; good, bad, or ugly.
Now that's not to say I didn't enjoy the book, it just wasn't quite what I expected. The world building, lore, and horror was top-notch. The characters were well fleshed out and felt quite real; they were all just awful people.
If you're a sensitive reader I implore you to mind your squicks. There's a lot of abuse, gaslighting, and body horror within this book.
I enjoyed it, but YMMV of course.
Graphic: Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Body horror, Classism, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Incest, and Mental illness
emzinator's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Gore
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Incest, Gaslighting, Blood, Confinement, Child death, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Murder
raybudbury's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked a lot of the setting, atmosphere, main character, etc. But the ending fell off for me.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Child death, Violence, Drug use, Murder, Racism, and Rape
ebp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Rape, Misogyny, Child death, Racism, Classism, Violence, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Colonisation, Confinement, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, and Body horror
Moderate: Terminal illness, Gun violence, Drug use, Blood, Suicide, Incest, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Cannibalism, Bullying, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Miscarriage
sonaea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I really liked the first half (4+ stars) though there are a lot of problematic things in there (esp. in the later half) that aren't handled very well/believably (~2 stars).
At the start there's not a lot of plot but rather a lot of just the vibes of dark, creepy houses, though the plot picks up at about the middle. I was surprised by the solution to the puzzle as I did not expect
I really liked that Noemí is headstrong, intelligent and doesn't let people run her over. That made an interesting protagonist and the setting was quite nice too as I haven't read many books set in historic Mexico (though that wasn't really in the focus of the story).
What could have used a bit more work is the pacing (at the first half of the book next to nothing happens, it's just all vibes and setting and only the slightest hints, while in the second half it's reveal after reveal). I would have liked that to be more stretched out in the book.
Also the action scenes at the end were not written like action scenes but rather just the same as the scenes about the setting (short descriptions, all the sentences about the same length, no focus on anything. There was next to no suspense in the writing. The only bit of suspense came from the plot though that wasn't a lot because
!!! Also there are a LOT of pretty heavy topics in this book, some CNs would have been appreciated!!!
CN r*pe:
That's a part where I think some character work would have been necessary. Her reacting shocked and then continuing as if normal really doesn't fit the situation.
CN c*n*balism:
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Incest, Sexual assault, Murder, Classism, and Racism
Moderate: Terminal illness, Suicide, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Vomit and Miscarriage
There are A LOT of problematic things happening. Most are mentioned, the description style of the book isn't one that goes into detail much. I tried to find most things that should have a CN, but I certainly didn't get every single one. So do be careful when reading this book! (Also I added 'toxic relationship' by which 'toxic family-relationship' is meant)angelfireeast24's review
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Bullying, Child death, Violence, Slavery, and Murder
Moderate: Terminal illness, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Vomit, Alcohol, and Miscarriage
Had me on the edge of my seat. I both wanted to throw the book across the room due to the unsettling nature of the subject matter and read another page to know what will happen.celery's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Racism, Rape, Body horror, Classism, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Infertility, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Vomit, Terminal illness, Infidelity, Medical content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
arirs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Body horror, and Racism
Moderate: Drug use
sophieamreacher's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, Rape, Violence, Incest, Confinement, Classism, Child death, Vomit, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Alcohol, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Gun violence, Death, Cannibalism, Blood, Medical content, Infertility, Gore, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent