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1.72k reviews by:
purplepenning
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infertility, Sexual content, Pregnancy
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality, Murder
Moderate: Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Classism
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Biphobia, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism
I usually choose mysteries on the cozier side, with a good dose of humor and shenanigans, and this is definitely not that. This is closer to straight noir. Well, not "straight," since most of the characters are queer and the tone is just slightly less cynical by the end, but definitely more noir than cozy. Anyway — I'm glad I stuck with it! The mystery itself is intriguing. Though it's not too difficult to figure out, there are plenty of surprises and layers to discover along the way. It's the gilded cage 1950s setting and the found family of characters that really shine, however. The historical era comes to life and I love how the ending sets the stage for the rest of the series. Pair this with Last Night at the Telegraph Club, a multi-award-winning YA historical set in the same era and area (San Francisco, but Chinatown).
Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Outing
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
The characters are delightful, but I was expecting just a bit more from the plot, which was full of delicious cocktails but a little thin otherwise.
Note: In the edition I read, there were a few sketchy lines that kinda completely ruined the otherwise enjoyable read for me. The author has since revised the copy, so it should be smooth cozy sailing for future readers.
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Outing, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Xenophobia, Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Cursing
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
Undeniably beautiful writing in a turn of the century fairytale that is groundedly gritty and soaringly ethereal. I don't care for circuses, but it was the exact right venue for this story. This one didn't knock me off my feet quite as much as The Starless Sea, which I read first and with no expectations. Partly, I think, because I wasn't as enamored with Marco as I maybe was supposed to be and I wasn't as satisfied with the ending here, but mostly because:
"The finest of pleasure are always the unexpected ones."
Definitely recommend for fans of The Starless Sea and Alix Harrow's Ten Thousand Doors of January.
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Blood, Medical content, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death, Abandonment