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4.51 AVERAGE
4.51 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To write something so deeply unsettling and so beautiful at the same time is truely a feat.
The horror was never the paranormal, it is and always has been the damage humans are willing to inflict on people they deem as ‘other’.
Please check trigger warnings (I mean it).
AJW goes out of his way to make you look. I think he perfectly captures the historical horrors men are willing to do to sate their cruel curiosity. It also perfectly captures the way in which they will stop at nothing to take what they want when they believe they are owed something. There are some lines that filled me with dread without even being close to graphic, just off understanding historical context, you just know something horrible is about to happen.
The characters made this story into something slightly hopeful. Some of them were so complex and morally grey, you didn’t know if you wanted to root for them or not. AJW did a fantastic job with them. I will be thinking about some of the characters for a long time.
While I generally think this one of the best queer horrors I will probably ever read, some small nick picks I had were the romance and some pacing issues.
The romance, while beautiful and I believe does make sense for the characters, I just wish there was more time to develop their relationship. Under the pacing of the story I understand why there wasn’t more time put into it. I would have loved if there was more story time of them together platonically first.
My other small issue was the pacing of the climax, in some parts it felt a tad rushed compared to the rest of the novel. I think I was generally enjoying it so much I just want more of it to read.
The horror was never the paranormal, it is and always has been the damage humans are willing to inflict on people they deem as ‘other’.
Please check trigger warnings (I mean it).
AJW goes out of his way to make you look. I think he perfectly captures the historical horrors men are willing to do to sate their cruel curiosity. It also perfectly captures the way in which they will stop at nothing to take what they want when they believe they are owed something. There are some lines that filled me with dread without even being close to graphic, just off understanding historical context, you just know something horrible is about to happen.
The characters made this story into something slightly hopeful. Some of them were so complex and morally grey, you didn’t know if you wanted to root for them or not. AJW did a fantastic job with them. I will be thinking about some of the characters for a long time.
While I generally think this one of the best queer horrors I will probably ever read, some small nick picks I had were the romance and some pacing issues.
The romance, while beautiful and I believe does make sense for the characters, I just wish there was more time to develop their relationship. Under the pacing of the story I understand why there wasn’t more time put into it. I would have loved if there was more story time of them together platonically first.
My other small issue was the pacing of the climax, in some parts it felt a tad rushed compared to the rest of the novel. I think I was generally enjoying it so much I just want more of it to read.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
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
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
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
I have loved Andrew Joseph White's other novels, and this one did not disappoint.
I very much liked the medical theming and language, and period-relalistic approach to both autism and transgender individuals.
I very much like White's characterisation - across all his books - and their defiance of other's expectations of them.
This is a book about self-discovery and being true to yourself, not a romance - and I love it for that.
I very much liked the medical theming and language, and period-relalistic approach to both autism and transgender individuals.
I very much like White's characterisation - across all his books - and their defiance of other's expectations of them.
This is a book about self-discovery and being true to yourself, not a romance - and I love it for that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content
Moderate: Vomit, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault
Incredibly powerful novel. Horrifying, brutal, and painfully human. It is a story of courage. The courage to stand up to oppression, to injustice, all while staying true to oneself. This book reveals a dark dark side of humanity and what humans are capable of. Sometimes, even those we trust will disappoint us. However, it also shows the perseverance of the main character through immense trials and how he does not lose himself in the process. Definitely heed the warnings prior to reading. If you can handle that, this story will definitely leave an impact.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this book reminds me a lot of the game Fran Bow. I don’t think it’s a perfect book, but I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced