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orcamagicka's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A short and easy gothic read full of homoerotic tension, lush prose, absolutely disgusting yet clever descriptions of gore and filth, and two wicked men with near polar opposite yet equally captivating personalities. And despite Johann’s depraved behavior and blackened morality, his witty commentary and “out of pocket” personality had me a bit charmed (then again I love a good nasty villain 👀).
I wish the story could have been 30-50 pages longer, the world building was interesting and has a LOT of potential. It seems like the city was its own character rather than just being a setting, which I love. And while captivating, I wish Johann and Florian’s relationship could have developed more slowly and been a bit more in depth, that way the climax could have had way more of an emotional punch.
I wish the story could have been 30-50 pages longer, the world building was interesting and has a LOT of potential. It seems like the city was its own character rather than just being a setting, which I love. And while captivating, I wish Johann and Florian’s relationship could have developed more slowly and been a bit more in depth, that way the climax could have had way more of an emotional punch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Excrement
Minor: Rape and Sexual harassment
rotfaced's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book inspired me to start writing again. My only complaint is that it is too short. The prose is beautiful, tightly written, and full of detail which makes rereading fun. I read this book twice, each time in one sitting; Many of my friends were able to do the same. If I were not currently lending it out to my friends, I would likely be reading it again.
This book has incredibly dark overtones and sets the scene with a (TW) sexual assault, which is obvious if not terribly explicit. The gore is spelled out in detail. The main characters are well-personified bastards, obviously meant to be read as villains, and their relationship-- central to the plot and to the pacing-- is filthy and treacherous. This is not a light read, nor is it meant to make you feel good. You are getting right what it says on the tin, but I loved every moment of it.
On Johann and Florian's relationship:
Disclosure: I am a bisexual man. I want more mlm content like this. This book is explicitly gay in its framing of the relationship between Johann and Florian (sexually/physically, if not always romantically). I want more awful, terrible men who are also queer. Reading this book destroyed my standards. I had given up on trying to find compelling queer men in rich fictional settings where the narrative isn't ABOUT being queer, and this book got my hopes up again. I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, nor do I expect it to be, but it is something I wish we had the option to read more often.
This book has incredibly dark overtones and sets the scene with a (TW) sexual assault, which is obvious if not terribly explicit. The gore is spelled out in detail. The main characters are well-personified bastards, obviously meant to be read as villains, and their relationship-- central to the plot and to the pacing-- is filthy and treacherous. This is not a light read, nor is it meant to make you feel good. You are getting right what it says on the tin, but I loved every moment of it.
On Johann and Florian's relationship:
Disclosure: I am a bisexual man. I want more mlm content like this. This book is explicitly gay in its framing of the relationship between Johann and Florian (sexually/physically, if not always romantically). I want more awful, terrible men who are also queer. Reading this book destroyed my standards. I had given up on trying to find compelling queer men in rich fictional settings where the narrative isn't ABOUT being queer, and this book got my hopes up again. I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, nor do I expect it to be, but it is something I wish we had the option to read more often.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Terminal illness, and Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, and Child death
Terminal Illness: Plague is a major theme in the book. Symptoms are described in visceral detail. Incest:
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