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hanz's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, Murder, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Medical content
ajennell's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This is my second read of this novel, both times after finishing the TV series. It's a bit shocking how different the book is to the series, especially the characters, but this isn't a VS review, so onto the book!
I really like the whole "ex-cop turned vision-impaired private detective" thing and think the series could have gone very Nancy Drew with some planning (which it didn't, sadly.) Vicki is pretty snarky and fun, and Henry's backstory is really interesting; I look forward to seeing how their relationship builds in future books.
My main issue with the book is that there are a lot of POV shifts that make it a bit confusing to read. In one page you can jump from the mind of 3 different characters with little indication, and that completely threw me out of immersion. There are some dated elements (such as the reliance on an answering machine and lack of cell phone when out) but it can still feel fairly relevant now. The antagonist is very cliche (super smart nerd that is bullied) which makes it feel its age. I think there is a love triangle/polyandry/free-sex building up, which I get, but it's certainly not the main point of the story and is done a bit confusingly (or maybe it's just drug out because there are multiple books.) It's also a bit slow at times, with a build up that is also a bit dragged out but with some really good moments.
Overall I enjoyed the story, though I found it a bit underwhelming at times.
I really like the whole "ex-cop turned vision-impaired private detective" thing and think the series could have gone very Nancy Drew with some planning (which it didn't, sadly.) Vicki is pretty snarky and fun, and Henry's backstory is really interesting; I look forward to seeing how their relationship builds in future books.
My main issue with the book is that there are a lot of POV shifts that make it a bit confusing to read. In one page you can jump from the mind of 3 different characters with little indication, and that completely threw me out of immersion. There are some dated elements (such as the reliance on an answering machine and lack of cell phone when out) but it can still feel fairly relevant now. The antagonist is very cliche (super smart nerd that is bullied) which makes it feel its age. I think there is a love triangle/polyandry/free-sex building up, which I get, but it's certainly not the main point of the story and is done a bit confusingly (or maybe it's just drug out because there are multiple books.) It's also a bit slow at times, with a build up that is also a bit dragged out but with some really good moments.
Overall I enjoyed the story, though I found it a bit underwhelming at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, and Murder
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Suicide, Self harm, and Gun violence
hrtlss_grl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Animal death, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Alcohol, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Vomit
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