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story_of_steph's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t that. Weird. I didn’t love it but didn’t hate it either.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Torture
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Excrement, and Mass/school shootings
styngrae's review against another edition
dark
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Animal death
taytay92's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
4.5
4.5 stars
Huge, huge, huge amount of spoilers!!
First book of 2024 and OMG this was amazing. I loved it.
First thing I want to say: I love an unreliable narrator. Literally my favorite. When someone insane is telling a story, you know you're in for a treat.
Mary seemed to be a menopausal - sorry- perimenopausal (😂😂) woman who was a victim of a terrible situation with repressed childhood memories. Makes perfect sense with trauma! Her slow descent into the madness that always existed within her was done masterfully. Artfully. It happened both so slowly, but also at the perfect pace for the book. To see her full descent at the end was both hilarious (in a morbid way), and what I feel would be true to how it would actually play out IRL. She fully descended beyond her own register into a product outside of her control.
There was just so much that happened. Reincarnated serial killer? The brutal murder of her aunt? The dog?! The Resident Evil style FULL-TOWN cube-ing?!?! Being buried alive in the desert?? The driver's demise, Victor the ghost's "splat", I'll call it...The hilarious hallucinations and descriptions?? The Loved Ones in the desert sent me. SIR! PLEASE!
The author was genuinely hilarious. It was everything I could want in a horror book. My husband is reading this book after me and I left him so many notes on Kindle telling him how I was just cracking up at the absurdity of what was going on. Not that it was funny, but that she was just so delusional, having actually insane thoughts, misplaced thoughts, ill-timed thoughts (i.e. "the whole town was murdered, but I'm thinking of never wearing clothes again" or, "I'm literally buried in the desert but this is a good time to start singing"). Things like that were sprinkled consistently throughout that gave me vicarious glee to experience insanity that one hopes to never experience, yet is morbidly curious about...in a standoffish, spectator way.
That gives way to another aspect I enjoyed, which were the universal themes of aging and death. I liked the page at the end right before Bonnie was eviscerated, where Mary, in her fully insane self, talked on not being afraid of death, and how life goes on. How Bonnie had nothing to be afraid of. Even if she was bat-shit detached from what the common-folk would call reality, that much i would like to believe is true.
For gore - 8/10 on the gore scale, as in, the AMOUNT of gore in the book. 8/10 because there was a lot, and it was graphic. It was pretty intense at times, but done so well that it wasn't "gore for shock value". I hate when people insert the cringiest most vile/demented things they can think of, just to shock. This was believable for the circumstances, for what was happening. Tbh, I don't think I would enjoy anything over an 8, because I'm not sure how that much gore could be "enjoyable". I also don't like when horror books are low on the amount of gore, because that's just not real. I want raw and real. I want to see what is actually happening, in detail, to get the full immersion of the horror I agreed to partake in. When you read a horror book and it doesn't do that, I feel ripped off and underwhelmed. I don't want PG-13 when I pick up a horror!
He did say he was inspire by Carrie and although this was vastly different than Carrie, the skeleton was there. Instead of puberty, it was menopause in which her "powers" showed face. The past bullies, the revenge, but also - so much more.
I also appreciate how long this book took to make and materialize. He said he started it about 30 years before it was published. The sheer amount of time he spent thinking about it, just gives the book that much more meaning and depth.
Also, can we talk about the acknowledgement? "What is this asshole doing writing about menopause?". Gold. Because, you'd think a man really wouldn't have a place to understand what women go through. I don't say this lightly, but this make is woke. He gets it. He consulted with women, he watched and read books, did his research, and had people proofread and comment on his shortcomings if there were any. He did all the things and he did it well. He made sure he was informed. And to answer his question at the end, was all of that enough? Yes. Yes it was. Because without this story, it wouldn't have been told. Not in the way Nat Cassidy told it, surely not at all otherwise regardless. He gave a voice and power to a class of women who, he's right, are overlooked and who also deserve to be celebrated. He supported them, and to support is doing the right thing. Also, a man writing about it gives more power to them than a woman ever could, sadly. Unfortunately, men take men more seriously in this world. So, he's helping other men open their eyes to their shortcomings as well. As a woman, I really appreciate what he did and how he did it. From me, it was a 10/10 and couldn't have been done better. On that I say, he did a perfect job - no notes.
I guess we could have seen how she escaped the scene and got into a new apartment, and did she kill her parents as a child? But, then again, those things really aren't important or integral to the story and no one, including her repressed memories, would have been able to answer that. Which makes sense. As for her departure from the crime scene, that would have been a bit drab and we didn't need to see that. It was better to read the media's take and see the result: she ended up in an apartment aside the violent poltergeists, and was still crazy. She was uncaught and living her best life, a fresh start at the age of 50!
Huge, huge, huge amount of spoilers!!
First book of 2024 and OMG this was amazing. I loved it.
First thing I want to say: I love an unreliable narrator. Literally my favorite. When someone insane is telling a story, you know you're in for a treat.
Mary seemed to be a menopausal - sorry- perimenopausal (😂😂) woman who was a victim of a terrible situation with repressed childhood memories. Makes perfect sense with trauma! Her slow descent into the madness that always existed within her was done masterfully. Artfully. It happened both so slowly, but also at the perfect pace for the book. To see her full descent at the end was both hilarious (in a morbid way), and what I feel would be true to how it would actually play out IRL. She fully descended beyond her own register into a product outside of her control.
There was just so much that happened. Reincarnated serial killer? The brutal murder of her aunt? The dog?! The Resident Evil style FULL-TOWN cube-ing?!?! Being buried alive in the desert?? The driver's demise, Victor the ghost's "splat", I'll call it...The hilarious hallucinations and descriptions?? The Loved Ones in the desert sent me. SIR! PLEASE!
The author was genuinely hilarious. It was everything I could want in a horror book. My husband is reading this book after me and I left him so many notes on Kindle telling him how I was just cracking up at the absurdity of what was going on. Not that it was funny, but that she was just so delusional, having actually insane thoughts, misplaced thoughts, ill-timed thoughts (i.e. "the whole town was murdered, but I'm thinking of never wearing clothes again" or, "I'm literally buried in the desert but this is a good time to start singing"). Things like that were sprinkled consistently throughout that gave me vicarious glee to experience insanity that one hopes to never experience, yet is morbidly curious about...in a standoffish, spectator way.
That gives way to another aspect I enjoyed, which were the universal themes of aging and death. I liked the page at the end right before Bonnie was eviscerated, where Mary, in her fully insane self, talked on not being afraid of death, and how life goes on. How Bonnie had nothing to be afraid of. Even if she was bat-shit detached from what the common-folk would call reality, that much i would like to believe is true.
For gore - 8/10 on the gore scale, as in, the AMOUNT of gore in the book. 8/10 because there was a lot, and it was graphic. It was pretty intense at times, but done so well that it wasn't "gore for shock value". I hate when people insert the cringiest most vile/demented things they can think of, just to shock. This was believable for the circumstances, for what was happening. Tbh, I don't think I would enjoy anything over an 8, because I'm not sure how that much gore could be "enjoyable". I also don't like when horror books are low on the amount of gore, because that's just not real. I want raw and real. I want to see what is actually happening, in detail, to get the full immersion of the horror I agreed to partake in. When you read a horror book and it doesn't do that, I feel ripped off and underwhelmed. I don't want PG-13 when I pick up a horror!
He did say he was inspire by Carrie and although this was vastly different than Carrie, the skeleton was there. Instead of puberty, it was menopause in which her "powers" showed face. The past bullies, the revenge, but also - so much more.
I also appreciate how long this book took to make and materialize. He said he started it about 30 years before it was published. The sheer amount of time he spent thinking about it, just gives the book that much more meaning and depth.
Also, can we talk about the acknowledgement? "What is this asshole doing writing about menopause?". Gold. Because, you'd think a man really wouldn't have a place to understand what women go through. I don't say this lightly, but this make is woke. He gets it. He consulted with women, he watched and read books, did his research, and had people proofread and comment on his shortcomings if there were any. He did all the things and he did it well. He made sure he was informed. And to answer his question at the end, was all of that enough? Yes. Yes it was. Because without this story, it wouldn't have been told. Not in the way Nat Cassidy told it, surely not at all otherwise regardless. He gave a voice and power to a class of women who, he's right, are overlooked and who also deserve to be celebrated. He supported them, and to support is doing the right thing. Also, a man writing about it gives more power to them than a woman ever could, sadly. Unfortunately, men take men more seriously in this world. So, he's helping other men open their eyes to their shortcomings as well. As a woman, I really appreciate what he did and how he did it. From me, it was a 10/10 and couldn't have been done better. On that I say, he did a perfect job - no notes.
I guess we could have seen how she escaped the scene and got into a new apartment, and did she kill her parents as a child? But, then again, those things really aren't important or integral to the story and no one, including her repressed memories, would have been able to answer that. Which makes sense. As for her departure from the crime scene, that would have been a bit drab and we didn't need to see that. It was better to read the media's take and see the result: she ended up in an apartment aside the violent poltergeists, and was still crazy. She was uncaught and living her best life, a fresh start at the age of 50!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Cursing, and Body horror
Minor: Death of parent
kups's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Death, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Gore, Body shaming, Animal death, Fatphobia, and Misogyny
moosereads1's review against another edition
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Blood, Gore, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, and Violence
captainsydney's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Misogyny, Death, Gore, Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Fatphobia, Body horror, Bullying, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Animal death
Minor: Child death
This book is super graphic and deals with a lot of heavy stuff, but I think it handles it all really well. There's A LOT but none of it felt gratuitous and all of it was handled appropriately in my opinion and worth it.bigleebowski's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Far too long, gets incredibly tedious until maybe chapter 35ish—which really had me wanting to file this under a DNF. To Nat Cassidy’s credit, he—yes, I too was surprised to discover the author was a man—writes the role, perspective, and struggle of aging menopausal women very well and with respect. That said, you’ll have a funner time with The Haar, Rouge, and/or Sister, Maiden, Monster in regards to somewhat similar plot tones. Mary was nothing like American Psycho or Midsommar, which is how it was marketed for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Misogyny
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!!!!!
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
dehernandez3169's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is easily one of the best books I've ever read.
Written by a man, Nat Cassidy was able to write exactly what it is like being a woman, especially a middle aged woman. There were time where I had to put the book down just to process how he was able to capture everything so perfectly.
The horror is JUST as good as feminist points. It is a rollercoaster and I had no idea how things where going to go.
Read it. Just... Read it. (Or listen to the audio book. It just as fantastic.)
Written by a man, Nat Cassidy was able to write exactly what it is like being a woman, especially a middle aged woman. There were time where I had to put the book down just to process how he was able to capture everything so perfectly.
The horror is JUST as good as feminist points. It is a rollercoaster and I had no idea how things where going to go.
Read it. Just... Read it. (Or listen to the audio book. It just as fantastic.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Mental illness, and Body horror
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
_meeg's review against another edition
NGL dude this one was just too brutal for me. Felt too unwell to justify continuing reading after the cactus scene.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Sexism, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Confinement, Grief, Suicide, Death, Murder, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Drug use, Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Cursing, Excrement, Gore, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts