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infinite_helix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The desperation and fear is palpable, and I could not put this down. I would get so sucked in the world around me fell away and got replaced by the cold, dark, clinical and cruel halls of Braxton. I was cringing from phantom pains, recoiling in disgust, clenching the book in fervor.
And yet, somehow, in all the horror, I had such intense joy and satisfaction. This is the second book I've read with an explicitly autistic protagonist, and there was SO MUCH of my experiences and feelings in Silas that it was heartbreaking and cathartic in turn.
The way Silas crumples to the ground, overwhelmed and screaming and crying, upon realizing Daphne is there and real and his mirror and an ally and safe port in this madness was how I felt reading this book. Andrew Joseph White dug his authorial fingers into the brackish and bloody part of my soul with this book.
It was painful and perfect.
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Child abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Confinement, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Transphobia, Violence, Gaslighting, Bullying, Death, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
This book does not hold back on the horrors committed willfully and frequently to those deemed 'other' in Victorian England. It also doesn't shy away from what those surviving under such violent oppression will do to themselves and others to continue to survive or escape.kb_icarus3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Pregnancy, and Child abuse
armenag's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Abortion, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
salemander's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexism, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
queersubtext's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Abortion, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Gore, Transphobia, Murder, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Violence, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Torture, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Outing, Dysphoria, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Pedophilia and Miscarriage
paxalotile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Deadnaming, Body horror, Ableism, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Outing, Dysphoria, Bullying, Abortion, Blood, Violence, Torture, Sexism, Self harm, Hate crime, Murder, and Lesbophobia
izzy0727's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Grief, Classism, Body shaming, Bullying, Gaslighting, Gore, Pregnancy, and Rape
manulss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
“Id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum quid non sentit amor?” She translates: this defect was noticed by no one through the long generations—but what does love not sense?
mi rivedo forse fin troppo in silas onestamente. ho amato questo libro dalla prima all'ultima parola e non mi ha stancato un attimo. l'ho letto pensando di rimanere terrificata dagli avvenimenti, silas fa un parto cesareo improvvisato, questo libro rappresenta molto più. parla di trovare sé stessi, esserlo anche davanti agli altri e cercare di farsi accettare nonostante il periodo storico in cui ci troviamo. silas all'inizio non aveva casa, famiglia o amici ed alla fine ha trovato tutto questo e molto altro ancora.
l'unica cosa che non mi è piaciuta è quel cazzo di "un anno dopo" perchè??? non ha senso il libro era completo anche senza.
ps. silas is literally "who's afraid of little old me?" by taylor swift coded.✨️
Graphic: Dysphoria, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Ableism, Self harm, Blood, Pregnancy, Gore, Hate crime, Medical content, Sexism, Violence, Body horror, Miscarriage, Deadnaming, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
clovetra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I WAS RIGHT!! I LOVE ANDREW JOSEPH WHITE!!
i think the biggest differences for me regarding this book & hfwu were the plot itself & the worldbuilding!
with hfwu, it was hard for me to understand as i grew up in a very agnostic household... i think ive been to a church once in my entire life. so grasping the undertones, backstory & context were hard for me! they weren't necessary for me to get cuz tbh i still had a blast but it did damper my experience. also, the worldbuilding felt lacking there.
NOT IN THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the worldbuilding here is phenomenal!!! i was a bit worried at the beginning cuz i was like "ohh... ummmm idk whats happening with the speaker society". but because the 'big bad' concept was a lot easier to grasp with no background information it ate soooooooo hard. delicious. it's so easy to immerse yourself in this story as most concepts aren't too hard to imagine - picturing the victorian aesthetic did not feel laborious on my small brain which i loved!
also!!!!! don't ask me to explain this but compared to hfwt.... the writing felt more sophisticated! like joseph white has truly found his comfort spot and is executing his art perfectly.
now lets get away from comparisons and let me just gush about this book;
- T4T ROMANCE!!!! BABY'S FIRST T4T BOOK!!! I LOVED IT!!!! SO MUCH!!!!
- i want to marry daphne sorry she's mine
-
- the plot twists were so fucking crazy but always in a good way. like
- i loved this horror style!!! like leaning into the medical gore...... chefs kiss.
- autistic rep!!! ugh i love the way silas explains having autism. esp the rabbit. as someone with their own rabbit idk this made me feel all mushy inside. plus the groundskeeper???? im gonna CRYYYYYYY
i literally don't think a single part of this book fell even the slightest bit flat. i became so enamoured with this book i think im going to have to stare at fan art for the next couple of hours.
anyways now im listening to boys will be bugs by cavetown because that feels appropriate
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Torture, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Medical content, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexism, Violence, Misogyny, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, and Body horror
Moderate: Suicide, Child death, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Pregnancy, Self harm, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Abortion
4lexa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Body horror and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault