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stitchnlich's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book is a grotesque love letter to queer youth. The horror is visceral, obscene even, both the literal body horror and the horror of the trauma that young people experience at the hands of the institutions that are supposed to love them. Almost everything about this book is so well done, my only complaint being how rushed some of the minor characters seem. While not for the faint of heart, I think this book is a triumphant reminder to queer teens that queer adulthood is not only achievable, but is also worth working for.
I received an ARC of this book but my opinions are my own.
I received an ARC of this book but my opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Religious bigotry, War, Blood, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Vomit, Body horror, Death, Gore, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
imrereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley, Peachtree and Andrew Joseph White for the eARC.
Hell Followed With Us feels like pure rage and desperation. It's about religious indoctrination, holy war and holy genocide. Our main character Benji is a sixteen year old trans boy. He grew up in a fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and set out to wipe out the world's population in the name of God. Benji desperately tries to escape to where they can't get to him or the bioweapon they infected him with. When cornered by monsters born from the destruction, he is rescued by teens from the local LGBTQ+ center, and their leader Nick knows Benji's secret.
Do you ever feel like you have so much to say about a book that you just come out blank? That's how I'm feeling right now. Reading this was so intense, and I don't know how to explain the journey that was taken.
First things first, I absolutely loved this book from first to last page. For the past couple of years, I've felt like YA isn't really for me anymore (unsurprisingly, considering I'm 26 at this point) and while I many books in that category are still good, they don't hit like they used to. That wasn't the case when I read this. Not for a second did I feel like it wasn't for me, but importantly it also didn't feel like "YA for adults". It just felt like a really intense story about teens trying their best in absolutely horrifying situations.
There are a lot of potentially triggering content in this book, and I'd advice having a look at the list of content warnings and consider if you're okay to read it, but if you are - oh boy, you're in for a treat. This book is loudly queer, with almost every important character being queer. There are so many varieties of sexualities and gender identities, as several characters using different neopronouns. Despite it's dark and sinister plot, it was so beautiful to see the diversity. It just makes me so proud and happy to see diversity teens today have access to. Absolutely love it. I wish I could have read this as a teen, but I'm so glad I got to read it as an adult.
I think you would like this if you enjoy reading about horror, found family, queer ragtag groups, and intense rage.
Hell Followed With Us feels like pure rage and desperation. It's about religious indoctrination, holy war and holy genocide. Our main character Benji is a sixteen year old trans boy. He grew up in a fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and set out to wipe out the world's population in the name of God. Benji desperately tries to escape to where they can't get to him or the bioweapon they infected him with. When cornered by monsters born from the destruction, he is rescued by teens from the local LGBTQ+ center, and their leader Nick knows Benji's secret.
Do you ever feel like you have so much to say about a book that you just come out blank? That's how I'm feeling right now. Reading this was so intense, and I don't know how to explain the journey that was taken.
First things first, I absolutely loved this book from first to last page. For the past couple of years, I've felt like YA isn't really for me anymore (unsurprisingly, considering I'm 26 at this point) and while I many books in that category are still good, they don't hit like they used to. That wasn't the case when I read this. Not for a second did I feel like it wasn't for me, but importantly it also didn't feel like "YA for adults". It just felt like a really intense story about teens trying their best in absolutely horrifying situations.
There are a lot of potentially triggering content in this book, and I'd advice having a look at the list of content warnings and consider if you're okay to read it, but if you are - oh boy, you're in for a treat. This book is loudly queer, with almost every important character being queer. There are so many varieties of sexualities and gender identities, as several characters using different neopronouns. Despite it's dark and sinister plot, it was so beautiful to see the diversity. It just makes me so proud and happy to see diversity teens today have access to. Absolutely love it. I wish I could have read this as a teen, but I'm so glad I got to read it as an adult.
I think you would like this if you enjoy reading about horror, found family, queer ragtag groups, and intense rage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, War, Body horror, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Religious bigotry, and Physical abuse
st_ender's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I will maybe write a coherent review later but for now: I absolutely loved this book. I would change absolutely nothing before the last 5? Maybe 10% of the book. Where the stakes got so high I couldn't see how can a stand alone possibly wrap up without cutting some things short.
So yeah this is for:
-kids who tried to use the pandemic as an excuse to skip mass
-young adults who got out of a religious family and still didn't quite process it
-people with religious trauma who are still religious
-people who equate health with morality and get therapy for it
-eldest daughters of any genders
So yeah this is for:
-kids who tried to use the pandemic as an excuse to skip mass
-young adults who got out of a religious family and still didn't quite process it
-people with religious trauma who are still religious
-people who equate health with morality and get therapy for it
-eldest daughters of any genders
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Genocide, Grief, Medical content, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia
I listed the tws and thought this needs a little disclaimer. The book is very heavy on violence and body horror. Religious bigotry, genocide, and illness are main themes. BUT I think for the list like this the themes are handled very well- at no point I felt like it's just there for shock value or to add to a list of terrible things. If you are unsure you can DM me, I'm trying to keep this spoiler free.
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