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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was definitely something. It had “I’m not like other girls” and “men do it better” energy, but there’s also feminist social commentary running underneath it all. It was “I’m dead inside Tumblr 2010 emo chic”-except she actually IS rotten, cruel, murderous and twisted. And so full of love.
It was an easy, fairly fast-paced read with some splatterpunk elements that, thankfully, didn’t get dragged out unnecessarily. The same goes for the very minimal smut (emphasis on VERY minimal).
This book definitely has that October-Halloween vibe, since that’s basically the backdrop the characters are set into. If it’s on your TBR, spooky season might be the perfect time to pick it up! :)
It was an easy, fairly fast-paced read with some splatterpunk elements that, thankfully, didn’t get dragged out unnecessarily. The same goes for the very minimal smut (emphasis on VERY minimal).
This book definitely has that October-Halloween vibe, since that’s basically the backdrop the characters are set into. If it’s on your TBR, spooky season might be the perfect time to pick it up! :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
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
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the concept of this and I love unhinged female characters but certain plot points I felt just went nowhere, and it seemed just slightly too try hard
dark
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
I’m a bit conflicted on this one. There were parts of Maeve Fly I really enjoyed, especially the ending. I found myself wanting more from Maeve’s actual descent into madness though.
It felt like there was potential for a deeper psychological unraveling that we didn’t fully get. I also went in with higher expectations, which might’ve played a role in my mixed feelings.
And while I get the homage, the heavy Patrick Bateman references felt a bit overdone. Still, a unique and gutsy book. I just wish it pushed a little further in the right places.
It felt like there was potential for a deeper psychological unraveling that we didn’t fully get. I also went in with higher expectations, which might’ve played a role in my mixed feelings.
And while I get the homage, the heavy Patrick Bateman references felt a bit overdone. Still, a unique and gutsy book. I just wish it pushed a little further in the right places.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have no idea how to feel about this book. On one hand I found it mostly entertaining and easy to read, but on the other hand there are things that I felt weren’t done as well as I would’ve wanted. I usually love an unhinged women’s rage book, but I feel like this one missed the mark a little for me. I found it weird that this book (though supposedly being a feminist novel) did a lot more harm to women than that of the men. I feel like the curling scene was the perfect example of feeling like unnecessary harm to women while adding little to nothing to the plot. I get it’s supposed to show how depraved the character was but there were other ways that point could be made that would’ve made more sense. It felt like useless harm. Maybe that was the point, to show how women are often done worse even sometimes by so called “socially aware” women, but I feel like I’m grasping that concept from thin air and not because the author made that clear. I don’t want to be spoon fed the plot or themes of a story, but I feel like the satirical elements fell short. For me the parts about grief and personal understanding were far more interesting. I did recently read Boy Parts that had the similar “American Psycho for the girls” type tagline and preferred that one far more. The gore wasn’t too much for me overall but for sure still check the trigger warnings. My last gripe was that this could’ve been edited better. I felt like at times this book didn’t fully know what it wanted to be. Also the doll thing was obvious, and annoying.
Overall this was shock value horror with a woman lead. If it were advertised like this instead of feminist comedy horror, I may have enjoyed it a bit more. Sorry for the rambling lol.
P.s. I’m not saying that women’s harm can never be depicted in literature or even horror, for that would make me a hypocrite. I understand that it occurs in every day life. Just that it needs to be done with care and make sense to the plot/story.
Overall this was shock value horror with a woman lead. If it were advertised like this instead of feminist comedy horror, I may have enjoyed it a bit more. Sorry for the rambling lol.
P.s. I’m not saying that women’s harm can never be depicted in literature or even horror, for that would make me a hypocrite. I understand that it occurs in every day life. Just that it needs to be done with care and make sense to the plot/story.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's like this book was written for me. Allusions to all my favourite novels, Los Angeles setting, misanthropic protagonist, dark comedy, need I go on? It was almost perfect. Almost.
Despite being a crazy good time, this book needed some editing. Sorry, but we didn't need a 'hot hockey player' male love interest in this book. The damage that Icebreaker has done to publishing is unfathomable.
Beyond that, Maeve's 'psychopathy' is inconsistent. She is a cold-blooded, sadistic killer but somehow is heartbroken about her grandmother dying and losing her job at NOT Disneyland. Sorry, but I don't think that's how this works.
Beyond those two gripes, this was the perfect book. However, I did have to deduct a star based on how significantly these two things affected the vibe.
Despite being a crazy good time, this book needed some editing. Sorry, but we didn't need a 'hot hockey player' male love interest in this book. The damage that Icebreaker has done to publishing is unfathomable.
Beyond that, Maeve's 'psychopathy' is inconsistent. She is a cold-blooded, sadistic killer but somehow is heartbroken about her grandmother dying and losing her job at NOT Disneyland. Sorry, but I don't think that's how this works.
Beyond those two gripes, this was the perfect book. However, I did have to deduct a star based on how significantly these two things affected the vibe.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
yeah this is messed up. insane book, insane imagery. absolutely love the writing style. lots of really layered themes here as well, in between the absolute brutality of it all. all trigger warnings are necessary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail