Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers

18 reviews

autumngk's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

I honestly don’t know what I was expecting from this book-cannibalism, sure, but the nonlinear format took me by surprise. Something about it felt too reliant on shock value and grotesque tropes, but after all it is a cannibal serial killer. I don’t know if I’m just beginning to be turned off by horror novels, but this one did the trick. There were really great sections, and I mean chapters at a time where the writing was absolutely beautiful and engaging. I wish we got to know more about Dorothy’s life as the prison librarian and how that began to effect her; I can’t tell if my reservations with this book are that if felt too short and heavy/reliant on the gore to tell its story or what! We get this really nice look into her life…..

after she’s adjusted to prison life during their group when the arsonist is telling her story and some of the other women are talking and Dorothy reveals a possible change in her feelings about what she’s done/herself. It’s not worthy of a sequel, just a couple more chapters here and there. While what we’re left with is a complete picture, it felt like there were just some missed opportunities. So many offers were put up in the air by introducing her in the present as working in the library; especially given her relationship with Emma, it felt unfinished in a way. We know so much about her while she’s cannibalizing and murdering these men senselessly, but it feels pointless to still know her while she’s imprisoned and know so little about her in the present. She still has the same voice. She still speaks the same about humanity. What about her changed? if nothing did, why this story? Why now? Just to sell cannibal torture porn?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Car accident, Death, Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, Classism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Stalking, Torture, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Forced institutionalization

anpaul98's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Cannibalism, Murder, and Gaslighting

elizajstocks's review

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If you love true crime, food, sex, and feminism? Read it right now. Then go watch The Menu. Similar vibes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Cannibalism, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Murder, Body horror, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Sexual violence

avasadored's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i’ve wanted to read this book for a little over a year now; it’s shockingly hard to find. i have to thank the sweet woman who owns a indie bookshop out of town who ordered it for me and the connection we share. 
this novel is absolutely something i want when i read a book; it’s admirably “Ava” in plot and writing style. so that’s to say, not for everyone but when discovered by the right person, endlessly enjoyable. 
brutal, powerful, oddly feminine, and intelligent. extremely creative and well thought out in character and plot, good to read for trying something new or a palette cleanser (no pun intended). a horror novel not entirely based on fear but rather potential, i hope Ms. Summers is working on something more and i hope to get my hands on it when it comes to fruition.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault, Cancer, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Violence

lajoy's review against another edition

challenging dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Car accident, Animal death, and Infidelity

jolyne's review

dark funny reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Summers’ writing style is insane and decadent; every page is chock-full with words that feel plump enough to eat lol. The story flips between campy dry humor and brutally disturbing descriptions, but it stays consistently clever. I did laugh out loud a good amount. A warning: there is strong sexual content and the descriptions of the protag’s mutilations leave little to the imagination. It’s funny that this is the first story that I’ve read where our lead is horrifying and twisted, but loveable in a way that makes me feel like I’ve lost a friend after finishing the book. Some things are iffy but make sense when you contextualize them with how icky Dorothy is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Car accident, Violence, Death of parent, Mental illness, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, and Stalking

Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Vomit, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual harassment

mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, Animal death, Cannibalism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Blood, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Drug use, Cancer, Classism, Cursing, and Death of parent

alainareading's review against another edition

medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence