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_serena_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
"We had risked tiny rebellions before...but never something so large and illicit and wrong. This rebellion was like a book with all its pages torn out. I did not know it s beginning, middle, or end."
The beginning of this was quite slow, but I still found it intriguing. I just love Reid's writing style. It has such a way of drawing me into a magical world and keeping me there. I forget everything around me and get consumed by the worlds she writes about.
I would definitely check out the content warnings on this one before you go in. I did not look at them and I wish I had. Just to give me a little heads up on some things. It wasn't so bad that it was unfinishable for me, I just should have been more mentally prepared for some parts.
I will continue to read Reid's works. She's just an auto-read author for me at this point.
The beginning of this was quite slow, but I still found it intriguing. I just love Reid's writing style. It has such a way of drawing me into a magical world and keeping me there. I forget everything around me and get consumed by the worlds she writes about.
I would definitely check out the content warnings on this one before you go in. I did not look at them and I wish I had. Just to give me a little heads up on some things. It wasn't so bad that it was unfinishable for me, I just should have been more mentally prepared for some parts.
I will continue to read Reid's works. She's just an auto-read author for me at this point.
ceebee86's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Like with another of Ava Reid's work that I had read, "A Study in Drowning", I found this to be a slog at first, and then right towards the end she manages to tie everything up neatly.
I am not fully convinced of its "horror" label. There were moments where I thought it was disturbing and gross for sure--just like The Juniper Tree fairy tale. But this was more sad than anything.
I found Marlinchen to be a bit aggravating at first but it really does just take some getting used to. She's not so much aggravating as she is sad. The profound effects of abuse permeate her very mentally ill mind.
On this subject I thought the novel really hit. It was very real. The parental and sexual abuse, the honeymoon reconciliation and the rest of the stages in the cycle of abuse, the way siblings grow to use each other for their own survival, and the trauma bonding, were all just so so real.
My one major gripe is that it did slip into a repetitive or redundant style. The book mentions breasts and nipples a lot. And yeah maybe there was an intent to it thematically, but at some point it just became too much. I was tired of it.
And also the constant "I am ugly and my two sisters are beautiful" schtick. I get it. Characterizing women only by their one most defining physical feature is very much a fairytale trope, but it's so tiresome in the context of a contemporary novel.
I believe Reid said this book thematically revolved around the advancement of society under capitalism. That was an undercurrent across the book as a whole. And I thought it established the atmosphere and setting really well.
Overall, a decent read but not for the impatient or those with weak stomachs.
I am not fully convinced of its "horror" label. There were moments where I thought it was disturbing and gross for sure--just like The Juniper Tree fairy tale. But this was more sad than anything.
I found Marlinchen to be a bit aggravating at first but it really does just take some getting used to. She's not so much aggravating as she is sad. The profound effects of abuse permeate her very mentally ill mind.
On this subject I thought the novel really hit. It was very real. The parental and sexual abuse, the honeymoon reconciliation and the rest of the stages in the cycle of abuse, the way siblings grow to use each other for their own survival, and the trauma bonding, were all just so so real.
My one major gripe is that it did slip into a repetitive or redundant style. The book mentions breasts and nipples a lot. And yeah maybe there was an intent to it thematically, but at some point it just became too much. I was tired of it.
And also the constant "I am ugly and my two sisters are beautiful" schtick. I get it. Characterizing women only by their one most defining physical feature is very much a fairytale trope, but it's so tiresome in the context of a contemporary novel.
I believe Reid said this book thematically revolved around the advancement of society under capitalism. That was an undercurrent across the book as a whole. And I thought it established the atmosphere and setting really well.
Overall, a decent read but not for the impatient or those with weak stomachs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Self harm, Classism, Sexual content, Murder, Confinement, Mental illness, Blood, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Antisemitism, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Death, Cannibalism, Body horror, Animal cruelty, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism
iitscharli's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
niregonnagiveyouup's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Body horror, and Gore
Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, Cannibalism, and Classism
suekken's review against another edition
3.5
'We have always lived in the castle' vibes.
Gothic horror with folklore mixed in it made for a unique world build.
A lot more graphic than I thought it was going to be but not that bad.
It felt like it dragged in some parts but overall I liked it.
Gothic horror with folklore mixed in it made for a unique world build.
A lot more graphic than I thought it was going to be but not that bad.
It felt like it dragged in some parts but overall I liked it.
invalid_input's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
relaxing
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
dumb_library's review against another edition
2.0
i’m ngl i just read this and already forgot what happened if anything
emnem's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5