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mallory10100's review against another edition
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Cursing, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, and Sexual content
bumbly_bee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Sexual violence
gm_vak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
msradiosilence's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Gaslighting, Animal death, and Fatphobia
jbogerhawkins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
blymanor'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Terminal illness
Minor: Body horror, Rape, Murder, and Vomit
rotfaced's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There is so much sex, entirely too much sex for my comfort level. So, perhaps, it is less of an indictment and more of a compliment that I continued to read these stories regardless of the overt sexual bend to them.
Most of the stronger stories are later in the book. Some favorites:
I found "Real Women have Bodies" and "Eight Bites" to be especially beautiful and poignant.
"Especially Heinous" was very unusual, but fun and, I think, spectacularly creative.
"Difficult at Parties" was beautiful in it's rendition of grief and loss in the face of a traumatic incident.
Against everything, I did enjoy "Inventory" in the story it told, even if it was through the lens of every sexual partner the POV had ever had.
Less engaging was, unfortunately, the introductory piece, "The Husband Stitch," which I found to be stuffed too full of conceptual commentary (saying the same thing entirely too many time) and then predictable to boot. "Mothers" started strong, but ended confusing and difficult to follow, even with an elaborate second read. "The Resident," while profound in it's writing, went nowhere fast and fell flat at the end for me, though I enjoyed the journey there. I do appreciate that it was less sexual than some of it's counterparts.
Overall, a strong 4* read from me. The later stories did a lot to strengthen the collection as a whole, and I came to respect the authors perspective more.
Graphic: Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting
Minor: Homophobia
skipabeat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Violence, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Grief, and Gore
faizoo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Minor: Domestic abuse, Grief, and Rape
lilysaintgeorge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence