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eveee_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Vomit
Moderate: Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Biphobia
Minor: Fatphobia and Alcoholism
kathleencoughlin's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This books is very long snd yet it feels like not much happened. I thought the different narrative threads were hard to follow and the ending was unclear. The second-person narration ended up being kind of confusing and condescending at times. Of course I appreciate sapphic MCs buy that just wasn't enough for me here
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, and Biphobia
Moderate: Sexual assault, Death, Murder, Alcohol, and Drug use
Minor: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, and Car accident
sunbeam_reader's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
• Likes: The atmosphere was beautiful! I loved the writing on a sentence level, I think Danforth is really talented and managed to really capture this haunting vibe. The historical sections of the novel were by far my favorite—I honestly wish we spent more time there as I thought it was the better developed story. I really appreciated that Danforth included a poly romance with the main characters, that's something I rarely see and want to see more! And finally I LOVED all the illustrations. I really want to see more books that utilize art to enhance the story.
• Dislikes: The basic plot is interesting I just didn't find that it was executed very well. The jumping timelines was a bit confusing and frustrating since I enjoyed one over the other. I also really got annoyed by the footnotes—a lot of them felt out of place and unnecessary and it was just a bit messy. The characters in the modern timeline were not my cup of tea especially Merritt and Heather, I had a hard time connecting and rooting for them. Even though the book was alright in the first acts the last act fell apart completely for both timelines and I ended up leaving the book disappointed.
•REP: All the lead characters were sapphic! However, all, except one, were white. No one was trans or disabled. And there was a bit of bi-phobia directed at Audrey from one of the other characters which I felt was unnecessary. I will also add that it felt as if one of the characters, Merritt, was autistic/neurodivergent coded, however I am a neurotypical person so I cannot really say if that is the case. I would encourage readers or potential readers to seek out reviews of this book by neurodivergent people.
• Final Thoughts: I enjoyed a lot of aspects but for the most part I was unsatisfied with the ending and had a hard time connecting with the main characters. This was actually one of my most anticipated books to read this year and I was expecting it to be a 10/10 so I think that expectation is what made me feel so disappointed in the end.
• Dislikes: The basic plot is interesting I just didn't find that it was executed very well. The jumping timelines was a bit confusing and frustrating since I enjoyed one over the other. I also really got annoyed by the footnotes—a lot of them felt out of place and unnecessary and it was just a bit messy. The characters in the modern timeline were not my cup of tea especially Merritt and Heather, I had a hard time connecting and rooting for them. Even though the book was alright in the first acts the last act fell apart completely for both timelines and I ended up leaving the book disappointed.
•REP: All the lead characters were sapphic! However, all, except one, were white. No one was trans or disabled. And there was a bit of bi-phobia directed at Audrey from one of the other characters which I felt was unnecessary. I will also add that it felt as if one of the characters, Merritt, was autistic/neurodivergent coded, however I am a neurotypical person so I cannot really say if that is the case. I would encourage readers or potential readers to seek out reviews of this book by neurodivergent people.
• Final Thoughts: I enjoyed a lot of aspects but for the most part I was unsatisfied with the ending and had a hard time connecting with the main characters. This was actually one of my most anticipated books to read this year and I was expecting it to be a 10/10 so I think that expectation is what made me feel so disappointed in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, and Death
Moderate: Bullying and Sexual content
Minor: Biphobia and Toxic friendship
maryy_r0se's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
“Don’t find yourself regretting this. You’re much too young to haunt your own life.”
In the early 1900s, a series of gruesome deaths occurrs at the the Brookhants School for Girls. Speculation runs rampant that these deaths are somehow connected to The Story of Mary MacLane, a radical new book that has several of the students transfixed. Headmistress Libbie Brookhants and teacher Alexandra Trills are stuck trying to protect the girls (and trying to protect themselves.) In present-day, Merritt Emmons’ book about Brookhants is being adapted into a movie starring queer superstar Harper Harper and former child actress Audrey Wells. The women go to Brookhants to film and find its history is still alive.
This book was incredibly ambitious, and to me it more than succeeded. Despite being over 600 pages, I found myself wishing it was even longer because I enjoyed it so much and would have loved to learn even more about the school’s lore. The narration style and use of footnotes was so unique, and I fell in love with the characters (Audrey and Libbie were my personal faves!) After hearing this book somehow combined gothic, horror, comedy, and dark academia (and had all sapphic main characters), I had very high expectations, and I was elated to find that this book surpassed them. The tone is very unique and it certainly takes some getting used to, but I had such a fun time with this one.
(Aside from the content warnings mentioned below, this book also has a lot of horror surrounding wasps, so if you have any sort of wasp or bee phobia you may want to tread carefully!)
In the early 1900s, a series of gruesome deaths occurrs at the the Brookhants School for Girls. Speculation runs rampant that these deaths are somehow connected to The Story of Mary MacLane, a radical new book that has several of the students transfixed. Headmistress Libbie Brookhants and teacher Alexandra Trills are stuck trying to protect the girls (and trying to protect themselves.) In present-day, Merritt Emmons’ book about Brookhants is being adapted into a movie starring queer superstar Harper Harper and former child actress Audrey Wells. The women go to Brookhants to film and find its history is still alive.
This book was incredibly ambitious, and to me it more than succeeded. Despite being over 600 pages, I found myself wishing it was even longer because I enjoyed it so much and would have loved to learn even more about the school’s lore. The narration style and use of footnotes was so unique, and I fell in love with the characters (Audrey and Libbie were my personal faves!) After hearing this book somehow combined gothic, horror, comedy, and dark academia (and had all sapphic main characters), I had very high expectations, and I was elated to find that this book surpassed them. The tone is very unique and it certainly takes some getting used to, but I had such a fun time with this one.
(Aside from the content warnings mentioned below, this book also has a lot of horror surrounding wasps, so if you have any sort of wasp or bee phobia you may want to tread carefully!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Gore, Murder, Sexual assault, and Vomit
Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
kalagallop's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Of the two timelines in the book, the characters in the present day are much more compelling and likable, while still being flawed. The ending is ambiguous in a way that is slightly frustrating, but the story was engaging the whole way through. I couldn’t put it down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Suicide, Death, Death of parent, Stalking, Lesbophobia, Violence, and Body horror
Minor: Sexual content
ehmannky's review
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was creepy and weird and queer in all senses of the word. I fucking loved it. It's a dense read, and at times it felt a bit overwhelming. Danforth portrays the oppressive nature of the haunted school area incredibly well, and the mental break some of these characters experience, that it felt like I was having a empathetic experience with them. Also, I love a good use of fictional footnotes, and Danforth uses them so well throughout the novel.
I didn't particularly love the reveal of the source of the curse at the end, and would have preferred if it had stayed much more abstract, but the rest of the book is so good that it kind of renders that complaint to a far off and distant concern.
I didn't particularly love the reveal of the source of the curse at the end, and would have preferred if it had stayed much more abstract, but the rest of the book is so good that it kind of renders that complaint to a far off and distant concern.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Drug use, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, and Biphobia
cjblates's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Child death, and Death
spiderwitch's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, Drug use, and Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Dementia
Minor: Biphobia
achillea's review
dark
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Please don't get your eyebrows pierced with rings I'm begging you
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia and Vomit
Minor: Biphobia, Fatphobia, Murder, and Stalking
joufancyhuh's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Points for being super sapphic, but I think I hated every character at least once during the story. I wouldn't call this horror so much as super gross bug experiences. I do think I know who the narrator is, considering the whole speech of "knowing everything" that's given near the end. Not sure I would recommend this to anyone. It's a lengthy commitment for a story I left feeling meh about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Homophobia, Death, Child death, and Bullying
Minor: Biphobia, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Drug use, and Death of parent
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