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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
Concept - 10/10
Cover Art - 10/10
Gore - 10/10
Execution - not 10/10
3.5 stars for me
Cover Art - 10/10
Gore - 10/10
Execution - not 10/10
3.5 stars for me
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I am not in the right headspace to write a proper review right now but just know that Andrew Joseph White is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. I picked this up after blasting through ‘The Spirit Bares it’s Teeth’ and I am so happy to say I got the exact same feelings of ‘I need to keep reading this book and nothing else matters’ with this book as well. It also helps that I am a big monster girlie
dark
tense
medium-paced
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
Andrew Joseph White never misses oh my god. This is one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read, and just the religious symbolism of it all should be studied. Nettles by Ethel Cain coded methinks.
a main theme of this book is american evangelicalism, but as i’m not from the usa i feel like i’m lacking the cultural context necessary to connect with this story. i’m also not big on reading ya, so this book just wasn’t a good fit for me. aside from these issues – which are completely personal to me as a person – i enjoyed the diverse cast of characters and descriptiveness of the writing style.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was really awesome. I both wish I could see a movie of it, and know a movie could never do these visuals right. This is an awesome ownvoices queer neurodivergent horror that I can't wait to read more of from the author.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's couched in that hyper religious American language and I don't have the spoons for that kind of horror on top of the transphobia
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Transphobia, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, War
Minor: Deadnaming, Alcohol
Oh boy.
I think it's difficult to rate a book like this in a way that doesn't seem harmful towards a certain community. However, I really do think better books exist out there that grapple with the pain and rage that 'Hell Followed With Us' attempted to convey.
Being stuck inside Benji's head was really repetitive and irritating. I love problematic characters that make stupid decisions, but the book never really gave us enough set up or reason to root for Benji other than him being on the 'good' side of humanity.
I really do think there is a lot of potential in the writing style and ideas here, but it's very surface-level and almost verges on soap-opera-type drama to drive the plot forward. The marraige scene made me laugh out loud, which ruined any impact the following moments might have had.
Again, like 'Ring Shout', this book was great when it dealt with body horror and the physical changes that rage caused within Benji. I enjoyed the apocalyptic nature of the virus and the way religion fed into the downfall of humanity, but the story never did anything new or different with these themes.
I think a few rewrites with some more experience would have benefitted this story. I say, having never published anything...
I think it's difficult to rate a book like this in a way that doesn't seem harmful towards a certain community. However, I really do think better books exist out there that grapple with the pain and rage that 'Hell Followed With Us' attempted to convey.
Being stuck inside Benji's head was really repetitive and irritating. I love problematic characters that make stupid decisions, but the book never really gave us enough set up or reason to root for Benji other than him being on the 'good' side of humanity.
I really do think there is a lot of potential in the writing style and ideas here, but it's very surface-level and almost verges on soap-opera-type drama to drive the plot forward. The marraige scene made me laugh out loud, which ruined any impact the following moments might have had.
Again, like 'Ring Shout', this book was great when it dealt with body horror and the physical changes that rage caused within Benji. I enjoyed the apocalyptic nature of the virus and the way religion fed into the downfall of humanity, but the story never did anything new or different with these themes.
I think a few rewrites with some more experience would have benefitted this story. I say, having never published anything...