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theliteraryhooker's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Confinement, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Child abuse
shirleonelsie'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
I did really enjoy this book. The local legend/folklore feel to it that Legrand was able to do made this book feel like this was actually happening somewhere. There should have been a prolonged or epilouge of someone telling their grandkids to watch out for The Collector in the woods at night.
Normally, I'm not one for changing POVs, especially when it's more than 2, but I was able to follow along pretty well with the 3 going on in this book. I felt that Val, Marnie and Zoey each had distinct voices so it was easy to switch between them.
I also loved the girl power theme throughout. This was a very girl-centric book. Girls being taken and girls are the ones to beat the beast. With the men obviously thinking they know best over there in the background, but epically failing.
(You'll see this review on my other apps, too!)
Graphic: Gore
beccaand's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Child death, Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content
eviethebookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Murder and Gore
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Grief
lauralintunen'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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Acephobia/Arophobia, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Car accident
maple_dove'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
4.0
Before reading this book, I read Extasia. The feminist and queer themes are definitely present in Sawkill Girls too. I liked this book throughout, but my favorite parts are after the halfway mark.
The asexual alloromantic and exes-to-friends representation was GREATTT!
However, there is one qualm I have about this book.
He had insisted on cleaning up the kitchen before turning in, otherwise the crusty layers of casserole on their late-night dinner plates would fester and haunt him, snickering in the kitchen while he lay awake staring at the ceiling.
The adorable little freak.
. . .
From what I know, the word freak is a pretty triggering word for the disabled community, because it implies that they are things to be feared.
⭐️ Favorite Quotes:
"Can I once again apologize on behalf of men everywhere?" Grayson offered. "Because we can really fucking suck sometimes."
Zoey arched an eyebrow. "Sometimes?"
"Most of the time."
"There it is."
Marion couldn't imagine a God like the one she'd grown up hearing about--some man sitting in the clouds, maneuvering the pieces of the world to suit his whims because he, of course, knows best.
But she could imagine a God in the shape of an island crowned with trees, brooding in the middle of a black sea.
"I don't know what will happen to us once we get to the obscura. The book says he can't be killed--"
"Screw that book," said Val. "It was written by men." She held out her free hand to Marion. "We're rewriting it." (pg. 385-386)
Marion stood at the port side railing, her back to everyone and her black hair streaming out behind her--a dark queen, surveying the battlefield.
"What's wrong with you?" Zoey had never heard Valerie Mortimer's voice sound so unfinished. "None of this is necessary--"
"I will decide what is necessary!" howled Briggs, his grip tightening painfully around Zoey's arm. "This is the way it is done. This is the way our fathers taught us."
"Your fathers," Val replied, "were full of shit." (pg. 398)
"The Collector must feed. He must be banished from our world. So it has been done, and so it is done, and so it shall always be done."
"And so it shall always be done," repeated the men, reminding Zoey of the way Borg drones proclaimed they were going to assimilate you, that resistance was futile, that you were screwed and there was no way out, sorry about that.
[...]
But then Marion spoke.
"And so," she said, her voice low and serene, "it shall never done again." (pg. 398-399)
"It's not our job to save the world. It can't be. That's not fair."
"If it's not our job," Marion asked quietly, "whose is it?"
Hope, she thought, breathing with the tide, was a choice that only those with resolute hearts dared to make.
Stardust cares not for the agony of demons.
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Gore, Grief, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Gun violence, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Death of parent, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Kidnapping, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident, Drug use, Cancer, Vomit, Racism, and Suicide
Underage drinking (graphic), Verbal abuse (minor)mgwuh'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
4.75
Graphic: Torture, Child abuse, and Gore
Moderate: Suicide
runes_reads'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
5/5 stars
Read for 2 hours and 41 minutes according to Libby, and picked it up four times (so like 40ish minutes average per sitting)
LOVED this story! The characters were so incredible and interesting, I cared so much for all of them. The POV switching was great and easy to follow, the vibes and word choice and IMAGERY was just amazing. Every character was so distinct and their own whole person. Some stories with POV switching and this many characters get sort of muddled, this certainly did not. It took me a while to love the characters, but once I did? They were so life like. All in all, a wonderful book that made me cry. There are some pretty heavy topics though, so make sure to check with the content warnings first
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Cursing, Sexual assault, and Gun violence
ghostlyprince's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Emotional abuse, and Gore
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Acephobia/Arophobia
Minor: Abandonment, Classism, Racism, Vomit, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol
chris_reads's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Death, Child abuse, Gore, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Body horror, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual violence, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts