Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy

121 reviews

princess_marie's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It was a good and interesting story that did keep me engaged but it got a little too weird for my taste (almost to the point of being "silly").

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Death, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Misogyny, Murder, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Religious bigotry, Violence, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content

cryptidenthusiast's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Initially, this book was a 3 for me. It had slow points, and I found myself struggling to connect to the inner voice of Mary, a woman written by a man. There were points where I was like ‘okay, this is obviously how a man thinks a woman must think’ (the repeated reference and notice of the victims’ breasts, being one point. I can’t speak for everybody, but the first thing I would notice about a spectral murder victim probably wouldn’t be whether or not her breasts were sagging). There was a disconnect there that I struggled with, outside of other issues I had with the overall pacing. 

And then I listened to the acknowledgment. 

Nat Cassidy made a point to do his research, and came from a point of genuinely wanting to bring light to a part of women’s lives that is usually ignored: menopause. And he brought up the point that a lot of Mary’s inner voice wasn’t *her*, but a man, something Nat Cassidy did know and could write, which is why the disconnect was there.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Body horror, Misogyny, and Murder

brea's review

challenging dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Bullying, Murder, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Abandonment, Death, Toxic relationship, and Rape

alexiusr's review

dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racial slurs, and Death

kups's review

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was such an interesting book to read. From the beginning, it started slow because of how negative Mary's perspective was, which was completely understandable considering her circumstances. But after the first 100ish pages the story got really crazy with all the cult stuff. Poor Nancy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Death, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Gore, Body shaming, Animal death, Fatphobia, and Misogyny

brittanysreadingcorner's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

AUDIOBOOK :5 stars for Mary: An Awakening of terror. Check trigger warnings before taking this ride. This book definitely takes serial unaliver to the next level. This is full of dark horror. 
This book follows Mary who goes to her hometown to take care of her aunt (I think). Though Mary has had some concerns of her mental state she goes to make some money. So many events take place to lead up to the best plot twist! While reading this I even found myself laughing at some parts. The audiobook was greatly executed! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Bullying, Child death, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Gore, Body shaming, and Blood

moosereads1's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was definitely interesting for me, and I honestly didn't expect most of the plot twists! While it does talk a decent amount about menopause and the struggles faced by menopausal women, as advertised, it turns to a larger examination of the way women are treated in society - how they must be Good and Useful. Social commentary aside, it's just a good, gory book! I always love an angry, vengeful female MC, and this book does a great job of showing her progression toward rage rather than having her start off angry. There were a couple of stereotypes about women that I didn't appreciate sprinkled throughout, but my only real issue was not a fault of the story but my own personal views - this contained one of my few triggers and I wasn't fully prepared for it. If you have an issue with harm coming to animals, especially dogs, proceed with caution!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Blood, Gore, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, and Violence

sonygaystation's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Holy motherfucking shit. This book hit exactly right in all the places it wanted to hit. I was NOT expecting a cis man to be able to do this kind of exploration of female rage and gender but holy shit. I’m in love with this book. I had so much fun through all the nasty humans and gore, and I LOVED Mary and her aunt even though her aunt is the absolute worst human and Mary herself needs some work. But damn y’all Nat Cassidy did the thing because despite being 20 years younger than the MC, I related so much to her. Also it just makes my year when I can find genuine horror that’s not only good but ACTUALLY has in depth commentary and metaphors and doesn’t lazily rely on mental illness and its bastardization. I loved this to pieces. Seriously. I’m about to tell everyone I know to pick this up, Listen to this via audiobook cuz omg Susan Bennett does not hold back!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Body horror, Death, Dysphoria, Violence, Animal death, Gore, Sexism, Gaslighting, and Blood

Moderate: Torture, Confinement, Drug use, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Cursing

Minor: Racism, Child death, Fatphobia, Vomit, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Deportation

katiearcher's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

There is only one likeable character in the whole book. I thought I had this book figured out in the first 5 minutes but then it took an unexpected twist. Which I’m not sure I liked. But the ending was strong. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Murder, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

twistykris's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This is a horror novel I'll be haunted by for a while. This was hard to look away from- mesmerizing but grotesque. Cassidy's writing is engaging and the plot twists were unexpected for me. The last 15% of the book or so had me sitting on the couch covering my mouth in horror and disgust (and also a little glee?).

The audiobook narrator, Susan Bennett, does an absolutely INCREDIBLE job. The emotion in her voice when Mary feels angry or scared or meek is just perfectly executed.

I think some of the book was too drawn out though and it could have been trimmed down a little.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Death, Animal death, Body shaming, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Confinement, Bullying, Death of parent, and Vomit