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ankita1996's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gore, Self harm, Sexism, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, and Abortion
aileron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Racism, and Vomit
bluedilly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria
Minor: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, and Alcohol
chughes5's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Xenophobia, Blood, and Dysphoria
applesodaperson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Read from the Provo library.
Moderate: Gore
ouijabroad's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
I read this in about a day because I couldn’t put it down! The writing is beautiful and as a child who never wanted to leave the water and longed to be a mermaid so badly I connected with Ren on some level (not to the extreme she went to of course). I remember hopping around with my legs crisscrossed at the ankles in my elemntary school classroom and being enamored with the mermaids in the cartoon of Peter Pan.
The telling of a coming of age tale that didn’t fall into tropes and cis-heteronormativity was refreshing.
My only real “complaint”, and I’m using that term loosely because as I said I loved this, I don’t know if I would call this book a horror book; there’s really only one visceral scene and the rest, while unsettling (or maybe not depending on if you believe Ren’s ideas about herself) is mostly a coming of age story mixed with a fairy tale…then again, growing up a girl is pretty horrible. The descriptions of how Jim is with the young girls made me seethe and cringe as someone who has experienced this kind of behavior by many men I’ve come into contact with at a young age. It seems universal. I did find a lot of truth in Song’s writing even if Ren and I experienced very different childhoods.
Normally ambiguous endings annoy me but I was satisfied with this one. Then I keep thinking is it ambiguous though?! I think it’s up to the reader and some context clues to decide that.
Again I really loved this even though it strayed pretty far out of my chosen horror genre. Looking forward to reading more of Jade Song’s work in the future!
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Rape, and Abandonment
mkwreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Self harm, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Drug use, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Medical content, and Alcohol
tenderbench's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
sarahnh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
ktbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Self harm, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Medical content
Minor: Racism