Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher

50 reviews

cait_henry56's review against another edition

4.5

Far better than A House with Good Bones. I was concerned it wouldn't be since my first T. Kingfisher novel left me less than enthused to pick up another of her publications, but I had already purchased this one. And I'm glad I did! The folk horror is phenomenal and the MC isn't nearly as annoying, plus the surrounding cast of characters are well fleshed out in their Twisted little ways. I wouldn't consider this a perfect book, but I do think it's a great, fun choice to get out of a reading slump. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Gore, and Grief

Moderate: Kidnapping, Body horror, Chronic illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, and Infertility

snazzy10101's review against another edition

4.5

There is a review of this by Mira Grant talking about how Kingfisher is tearing down the walls in their recent horror books. 
I totally agree. 
I adore folk horror and bones and dogs. 
Bongo my beloved. 
Foxy my beloved. 
Kilroy my beloved. 

Brilliant book with big Old Gods of Appalachia vibes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, and Terminal illness

thebakersbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

4/5 stars — well-written, unobjectionable horror, but didn't knock my socks off

I'm far from a horror aficionado (I'm a huge wimp, if we're being honest), so I didn't have the context to understand how this book was situated within the legacy of the genre. I only found out in the end matter that the author had drawn on previous famous works, so I'm sure I missed lots of interesting lampshading and twists on horror tropes. That said, I really liked this book! I really appreciate horror where nothing (too) awful happens to women just because they're women

and the dog doesn't die

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Oddly, my quibble was that I didn't actually find <i>The Twisted Ones</i> scary. Really at all. There were a few chilling moments and at least one well-timed "jump scare" (is it still called that outside of movies/TV?) but either this wasn't the kind of horror I find scary or it was aiming for a low shiver factor. Regardless, I don't need to sleep with the lights on...but I'm also glad I wasn't planning to walk in the woods anytime soon. 

Aside from being a minor letdown on the fear scale, this was a solid, fun read. I liked all the characters, was captivated by the subtleties of the plot, and found the measured escalation of mystery and horror impressive. I recommend this book to horror fans and fellow wimps alike!

Content notes: implied forced impregnation of a minor character (no rape or antagonistic person involved); mention of miscarriages; implied child death; a range of body horror throughout

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Minor: Child death and Miscarriage

alvyv's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

meganpbell's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This is a downright disturbing and deliciously atmospheric work of folkhorror, from hoarder’s house to haunted woods, narrated with unexpected humor by a woman who just wants to keep her dumb dog safe. What I didn’t know until the very end is that this book is inspired by a 1904 classic horror short story by Arthur Machen, and while you can definitely enjoy this book without knowing the story, I felt like I was missing something once I knew!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Gore

Moderate: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement

Minor: Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Child death, Infertility, Racism, Death of parent, and Dementia

jessereadsthings's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Animal death, Racism, and Rape

traa's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Car accident

jkpiowa's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Body horror, Death, and Emotional abuse

milanaaaah's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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? It's complicated

4.25

If you like books like annihilation, you the scares are similar but the story is more confined to the characters in a silly and lovable way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Death

provo's review against another edition

dark funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Scared the shit out of me in so many ways, but not enough to give me nightmares, as long as I read in daylight.
Would recommend this to people who like the level of horror that „The Blair Witch Project“ has (because there are things-you-can-see-or-maybe-not in the woods).

The first 25% are the horror of having to clean out a hoarders house and, knowing that this is something I will have to deal with some day, ignited a terror of its own.
The next chapters, up to 65%, were the scariest to me

because I found the stuff with the diary, the manuscript, those fucking stones and the question if any of this was real at all - until thankfully foxy, skip and tomas showed up - way scarier than the effigies, though they definitely had their own flavor of fucked up. The intrusive thoughts were actually the worst and they are the reason I put a psychosis content warnings in the review.

.
The latter half of the book was still scary, but in a more uncanny way and not as psychological draining as the first half.

To me, this book could have been unreadable (because I can not deal that good with horror) - but all the characters are so loveable and it is clear from the start, that Mouse and her dog will make it out alive. 
I will definitely check out other books by T. Kingfisher.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Body horror

Moderate: Dementia, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Miscarriage