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natashaball's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Homophobia and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pedophilia and Suicidal thoughts
erinicole's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Homophobia and Murder
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
charelia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Horowitz brings a new spin to the done-to-death trope of the thoroughly loathsome detective and his everyman foil who serves as narrator, by inserting himself — as in, critically acclaimed author Anthony Horowitz, best known for his Alex Rider series of children’s books — in place of the latter. We get the unique point of view of a fiction novelist trying to craft a story from the narrative in which he's been swept up and, for the first time in his career, he is unable to control. With the exception of a couple of immersion-breaking monologues the format works surprisingly well. It's delightfully meta, although his page-long lament about the backlash he would face should his inclusion of a problematic protagonist be interpreted as an endorsement of the character's views, came across as a little tone-deaf and melodramatic, especially since the offensive content is promptly swept under the rug, lampshade and all.
A good mystery novel must walk the fine line between handing the reader all the necessary clues and allowing them to piece together enough parts of the puzzle to feel a sense of triumphant satisfaction, whilst keeping it subtle enough that the reader will be kicking themselves once the rug is pulled, the final pieces fall into place, and it turns out the big picture was visible all along. Horowitz mastered this balancing act in his children's books, and he masters it here.
There is however one plot element that seriously bothers me, which is the fact that
Moderate: Homophobia
leahthebooklover's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Car accident
Minor: Homophobia, Violence, and Infidelity
angelina41's review
4.0
Moderate: Homophobia and Fatphobia
sam_rm94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Murder and Child death
Minor: Homophobia
melshoo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Violence, and Death
Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, and Murder
zlizzyv'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Blood, Car accident, Body horror, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Death, Grief, and Vomit
Minor: Drug use
shepardsolbear's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.25
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Homophobia and Child death
betholomew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Child death, Car accident, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Homophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts