Scan barcode
savvylit's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Summers is a modern master of metaphor and simile. There were so many occasions while reading in which I had to stop to marvel over an evocative turn of phrase. Here are just a few of my favorite examples:
"Then, he slid off his chair, smooth as a pat of butter oozing from a pile of hot flapjacks."
"As I stepped out into the gimlet dawn, sunlight was beginning to slip like white lies between the skyscrapers."
"Casimir wandering dazed as a startled possum."
"Flashes of the evening popped like firecrackers, while shards of conversation with Wasserman lacerated me."
Beyond Summers' delightful writing style, this book had many other strengths with which to cleanse the reader's palate between what were truly appalling descriptions of homicide and cannibalism. The scenery, setting, and characters of this book were so exaggerated as to become parodies. And in many ways, this book is satirical. A Certain Hunger is a satire of so much but especially of foodie culture, of obsession with serial killers, of societal pressures on womanhood, and of big agriculture. Ultimately I loved it all.
In creating Dorothy Daniels, Chelsea G. Summers has given the world an unforgettable, charming, and likable serial killer to join the ranks of Hannibal Lecter and Patrick Bateman. This book is certainly not for the faint-hearted, though, so avoid it if body horror and gore are too much for you to digest.
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Gore, Blood, Death, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Confinement, Infidelity, Animal death, Sexual violence, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Rape
alainareading'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence
arys_library'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? Yes
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. I knew it would be graphic but it was beyond what I was thinking it would be. Everything was so graphic and detailed which made me read a bit slower than usual but the writing style was still amazing. At times I feel like the author was being too descriptive, she described everything in great detail but it got to the point where things were so repetitive and I had to take a break. But besides that, I absolutely loved it
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Car accident, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cursing and Vomit
swellshark's review
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Toxic relationship
This book has graphic, detailed scenes of murder and cannibalism. There is at least one rape scene that is described for at least a paragraph in very detached terms.