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alphabetmafiamember's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Blood, Deadnaming, Death, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Outing, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Homophobia, Grief, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Dysphoria, Death of parent, Cursing, and Confinement
Minor: Drug use, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Gun violence, and Racism
emjams'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Deadnaming, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, and Child death
Moderate: Xenophobia, Self harm, Mental illness, Medical content, Abandonment, War, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Outing, Domestic abuse, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Animal death, and Alcohol
This book has basically every imaginable TW on it EXCEPT for sexual assault, but even that is briefly touched on. Benji has trauma from assault, but only from physical/emotional abuse, not SA.ratking17's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Body horror, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Transphobia
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual content
kaynova'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? Yes
3.5
After reading (or in my case hearing it because this was an audiobook version) the trigger warnings, I was physically and emotionally prepared for this book and wow, what a book it is!
I battled between 3.5 stars to 4 stars because though I deeply enjoyed this book and the concepts and themes that the Andrew is exploring is so riveting, I wanted the book to be an adult fiction. That conflicted with the author's intention of making this young adult because they wished they had these books when they were young, which I definitely agree but as someone in their 20's, I also need this book because healing from religion trauma while being queer is still a journey and the gore here would've been even better if it was targeted for adults.
Other than that, you are connected with Benji and how he navigates these hard relationships well grieving someone's death while converting to something that he never wanted in the beginning. Andrew does a great job of reminding the readers that Benji is a child and he shouldn't have the world on his shoulders but he do, so now he has to figure it out and he learns that community is the answer to getting through these very difficult, goring and terrifying times. I loved every bit of Benji's blooming relationship with Nick and how it wasn't really the main focus, but it weaved so beautifully with the tragedy of this world. I just want them to be okay (this book has a hopeful ending, so keep that in mind) and in delulu land, I think they are doing quite fine and learning to live with their new selves (will not spoil what that means).
I think this book is so much better consumed by audio (but I will give this book a re-read through physical copy) because the voice actors made it come alive, probably better than what my voice in my head would've conjured up. But to each its own, but please take your time and read this book, especially if you're a teenager. You may find yourself resonating with someone here.
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Transphobia, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse
vulgarboy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The handling of queer folks, POC, and neurodivergent folks was pretty spot on. Some things were a bit blunt, such as an autistic character having a stim toy being acknowledged for the first time, followed by an immediate "he's autistic" exxplanation. Neopronouns were used, which I haven't seen before. There's a clear amount of care with these characters, but it fell short a few times. Benji's deadname being in the book doesn't sit right with me (a transmasc person), as well as it being used approximately eight times. Yikes.
All in all, an excessive amount of vomit and gore aside (both of them happening Constantly), I didn't hate my experience. This story sure did happen.
Graphic: Homophobia, Ableism, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gore, Violence, Body horror, Vomit, Child abuse, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Racism, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cannibalism
math_scooter'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: Gun violence, Death, Body horror, Blood, Classism, Transphobia, War, Gore, Genocide, Grief, Deadnaming, Cursing, Vomit, Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, and Confinement
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Infidelity
spooderman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Genocide, Child death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Hate crime, Grief, Medical trauma, Deadnaming, Gore, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, Deportation, Misogyny, Body horror, Mental illness, Gun violence, Self harm, Transphobia, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, War, Ableism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Vomit, Torture, Mass/school shootings, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Stalking, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Slavery, and Cannibalism
Minor: Terminal illness, Sexual content, Rape, Miscarriage, Lesbophobia, Eating disorder, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt