Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Unwieldy Creatures by Addie Brook Tsai

6 reviews

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• 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

2.5

Interesting themes, but the plot and character motives don't deviate much from Frankenstein -- certain actions seem to be driven only, indeed, by a need to mirror the original narrative. Feels too constrained to its status as a retelling, even sometimes directly quoting the original novel when it doesn't make much sense or fit with the narrative voice, and unfortunately that seems to keep it from delving as deep into the ideas present as it could have.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Abandonment, Death, Murder, and Ableism

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Transphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racism, Homophobia, Child death, and Misogyny

Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Incest, Miscarriage, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Abortion, Suicide, Animal death, and Fire/Fire injury

emzhay's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Transphobia, Ableism, Child abuse, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Murder, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Outing, Lesbophobia, and Sexism

Minor: Incest

solenekeleroux's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, Medical content, and Toxic relationship

jamieleepilk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Dysphoria, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Child abuse, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Suicide

amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

I wanted to through this book across the room multiple times in frustration with various characters. In this fairly faithful retelling, Tsai uses modern embryology and fertility science. As with the source material, the story starts with a stranger, in this case, Ko, an intern, giving Z shelter. Z then tells her story, starting with her childhood and leading up to the monster appearing and telling their story. 

The retelling is fresh.

The story line of Z basically violating her partners consent made me sick to my stomach and so angry I almost stopped reading. 

it ends very different then the original book. It was a little to and then the monster got a family. While satisfying, I found it hard to believe they would want to raise a murderous child. 

 

I love Frankenstein retellings, but I do not love the source material. I find Victor whiny, I get irritated in his choices and his inability to learn. This retelling brought that part of Victor to the page with little change. Z was just as insufferable and irritating as Victor.  The prose feels very reminiscent of Mary Shelley. Z, in particular, is voiced in purple prose. 

If you like Frankenstein, you should think about trying this book out. The questions around science and progress vs ethics were fully developed and explored. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Child death, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse

Eugenics

nonbinaryreading's review against another edition

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Racism, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Stalking

Minor: Murder and Blood