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happyunicorn7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Dementia, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
ericaereads's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Also because there was next to no diversity, and the diversity that was present was only coded and used as a plot device
Also also because, sorry not sorry, just throwing a bunch of deeply unhappy characters together and using a non-linear narrative structure to force tension does not equate to literature.
If I'm petty I'd call this Colleen Hoover lit-fic, but that seems a bit mean given that the writing was solid (just not for me) and at least the problematic relationships were actually portrayed as problematic.
And listen, I get it. When I did force myself to pick this book up I couldn't put it down. It was, dare I say, "unputdownable." And as a non-mystery/thriller reader I was completely on the twist-and-turn ride and NEEDED to find out what happened. Which is why the true rating is 3.5 stars because good Lord I could not stop.
Graphic: Child death and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child abuse and Homophobia
The homophobia in this book is not directly in the text (beyond 1970s folks not understanding it/how to talk about it), but the handling of and narration around one specific coded-queer character was...not done well and gave the whole text a feeling of token queer representation.marilululu's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia
Minor: Drug use, Vomit, Abandonment, and Colonisation
kfkeene's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Lesbophobia
kbone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
shesflippinpages's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
percab3ths's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Going into this book, I had no idea what the plot was. Characters, setting, relationships. I went in completely blind. All I know was that this book was set at a summer camp, surrounded by the mystery of one family with generations long problems. That is ALL I knew.
I came across this book thanks to a YouTube video by one of my favorite book channels to watch. It was on her ‘honorable mentions’ list of 2024, the book she opened the video with actually, and I was immediately taken by the way she’d described it.
I’m still processing what I’ve read. Maybe I’ll be able to articulate my words better when the shock of reading this absolute masterpiece wears off.
From the characters (Louise, Bear and Tracy my beloved, you deserve the world), to the INSANELY clever plot; everything was so thought out—The Van Laar family history, the character backgrounds, the setting that provided so much mystery and intrigue, you had absolutely zero idea what you were getting yourself into walking into those woods—The way that NO CHARACTER was useless, every person named provided a crucial piece of information.
We need more Liz Moores in the world. And god forgive me that I hadn’t picked this book up sooner.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
ladybug12793's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Dementia, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Classism
mollykmccabe's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, and Murder
plottwisttravels's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Child death