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kaa's review
4.0
Well, that was creepy as fuck. I am NOT a horror reader, but I love KJ Charles and I wasn't about to miss a story of hers starring queer ladies. This was totally worth it. Grisly, with just the perfect amount of dark humor.
astra_sasstra's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
nerzola's review
4.0
In the time of England's steep decline, when Victor II sprawled on the throne and lost colonies as carelessly ad a child loses toys, there stood a number of institutions that should never have been permitted to exist. One was the foul and ancient liberty of Alsatia, to which we will return anon; another was Mr Fogg's Asylum for the Weak-Minded, located to the west of London on the soot-grimed scrubland of Old Oak Common. It is there our story begins one cold, bright day in December 1870, as Mr Fogg himself conducted Johanna Oakley through its dark, draughty passages.
thegothiclibrary's review
4.0
A very clever retelling of Sweeney Todd (although, it's a retelling in a universe where the text of Sweeney Todd's story also exists, and some of the characters only partially recognize the way they seem to be living out Sweeney Todd, but not that they have the same name as characters--you know what, don't think about it too hard).
K.J. Charles does an excellent job of taking fantastical-sounding things that really existed in history, like the lawless realm of Alsatia and the laughing disease kuru, and dialing them up to extremes for a very chilling horror tale.
K.J. Charles does an excellent job of taking fantastical-sounding things that really existed in history, like the lawless realm of Alsatia and the laughing disease kuru, and dialing them up to extremes for a very chilling horror tale.
cmrosens's review
5.0
Dark humour, cannibals and action
A really good blend of banter, action and drama, told in a really engaging “period” voice, full of the tropes I love and some great horror writing. Really enjoyed this!
A really good blend of banter, action and drama, told in a really engaging “period” voice, full of the tropes I love and some great horror writing. Really enjoyed this!
sofiam97's review
3.0
I enjoyed the story and the characters. However, there was something about the writing that I just couldn't get fully behind (I don't know why, since I've read a lot of K. J. Charles' books by now), as well as the fact that as good as the story was, there also wasn't really anything to push it forward? As in, I finished it more because "it's a small book, might as well" than really "oh man, I want to read more." So yeah, not bad, but also... just not special.