Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock

19 reviews

octopusarms's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Body horror, Grief, Violence, Cursing, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, and Infidelity

mxpringle's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.75

One day maybe I will find a horror novel that doesn't include queer people and women without demonizing and/or victimizing them. I thought it was solidly enjoyable in terms of the writing, but I feel like a lot of the plot and topics explored are tropes that have been overdone, such as Southern small town murders, hitchhikers, etc., though these were intermingled with a few really cool new ideas. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Blood, Murder, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Torture, Sexual harassment, Rape, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gaslighting, Grief, Gore, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Alcohol, Body horror, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Moderate: Pregnancy and Abandonment

Minor: Vomit

reggiethebird's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense 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

4.0

I cannot imagine someone reading this book and thinking "You know what, I want people to experience all this on the big screen." This is one of the most grimy books I've ever read, like "I want to take a shower after reading it" type filthy. I'm not sure there is a good person in all 261 pages who isn't either raped, killed, raped then killed, or killed then raped. This is a book where a bunch of bad people do bad things to other bad people for a whole 3 or 4 intersecting plot arcs. If that's the type of story you like, go for it. If you have any triggers at all, probably skip this one. It's a very ugly tale.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Grief, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Blood, Violence, Rape, Child death, and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Misogyny, Transphobia, Torture, Abandonment, Infidelity, Body shaming, Cursing, Bullying, Homophobia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Ableism

Minor: Cancer, Gaslighting, War, Dementia, Stalking, Car accident, Slavery, and Vomit

foxgallagher's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Death, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicide, Murder, Pedophilia, Blood, and Animal death

Moderate: Infidelity, Cancer, and Alcoholism

Minor: Pregnancy, Cancer, Vomit, Racism, and Death of parent

bumblebroxbeeblebooks's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

My favorite book of September 2022. Everything about this book was so messed up and wrong but it was so entertaining to read. I haven't listened to an audiobook or read something this fast in a long time. I'm really excited to watch this movie on Netflix.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

There is a ton of trigger warners for this novel so take that into consideration before reading this.

mxyfrzn's review

dark tense 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

3.5

I've heard this called rural noir and I think that fits. It's incredibly well crafted, and the kind of horror that's that drudging, sick to your stomach kind of dread. Can't say I enjoyed myself, but if you're looking for something that feels like a mix of No Country for Old Men and Season 1 of True Detective, this is a great pick.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Vomit, Rape, Trafficking, Torture, Infidelity, Gun violence, Grief, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Death of parent, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Alcohol

taylers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

A dark, post WW2 horror/thriller that gives you insight into the minds of seemingly normal people who, in secret, do depraved and horrific things. All the trigger warnings.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Racism, and Murder

Moderate: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Ableism, Sexual assault, Grief, Torture, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Police brutality

Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Gore, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Excrement

kenzwils's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, and Suicide

briarrabbit4293's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

The movie is dogshit. Read the book instead. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Gore, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

marisabenn's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I highly suggest this book to anyone who likes Cormac McCarthy. More quotation marks, less adjectives. I flew through this book and was constantly wondering what was coming next. It follows several people, but blends them so well and ties their stories together with a grisly red bow. They are (mostly all) flawed, awful, horrible people and yet I found myself wanting to know what despicable thing they would do next. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Incest and Homophobia