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skylarkblue1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
This was a conflicting read for me. On one hand, I love Grady’s other works and really enjoy his writing. On the other hand….. Were these many slurs needed (*literally*) constantly? I get it’s the 80s, but everyone knows those slurs and bigotry went unchecked heavily back then and it’s included in this book as just throwaway jokes and not really any commentary about that of the time.
This book is essentially the story of someone’s best friend being slowly possessed more and more as time goes by and everyone around them just seems to.. Not care. She’s trying to kill others and being seriously down-right evil but no it’s everyone around her who’s the problem - including the main character.
This book is incredibly slow, the odd moments happening here and there and like 85% of the book is just the main character trying to get *anyone* to believe their - what seems to be - insane story.
I loved Horrorstör so when I saw this one was another of his highly acclaimed books I needed to read it. But now I’m just kinda… confused? The horror wasn’t overly good and I didn’t really feel like there was any tension there. The only parts I reacted to was the
The ending was certainly a mixed bag. Badly timed attempts at comedy in the middle of what should have been tense and emotional, even more slurs randomly thrown in, abuse and then a very emotional bittersweet ending slightly ruined by the fact they’re “just” best friends (very minor spoiler on this topic:
I think the ending could have saved a decent chunk of this book without the slurs and the “best friend” syndrome, but with those it kinda just fell a bit flat to me.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Ableism, Violence, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Physical abuse, Drug use, and Body horror
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Misogyny
jareadforfilth's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gore, Vomit, Kidnapping, Animal death, Toxic friendship, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexism, Gun violence, Slavery, and Rape
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
suchallie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Self harm, and Vomit
Moderate: Slavery, Sexual violence, and Rape
There is a fair amount of gross and gory details as well as chilling scary partstiernanhunter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Grief, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, Gun violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, and Forced institutionalization
sydneynorman's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Grief, Murder, Violence, Vomit, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Racism, Alcoholism, and Animal death
moonlitemuseum's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Bullying
Moderate: Violence, Torture, Cursing, Classism, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, and Racism
Minor: Child death, Drug use, and Slavery
nokibay'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Vomit, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Slavery
Minor: Domestic abuse, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Drug use
melliedm'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Felt like the sapphic undertones were purposeful (lampshades! Lampshades everywhere!), but completely unfulfilled. How you can go from DBNQ to DAQ and then tell me how they ended and miss the chance to complete the sentence is a disappointment. But it was a fun read despite that.
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Vomit, Body horror, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Animal death, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, and Mental illness
Moderate: Car accident, Alcohol, Racism, Mass/school shootings, Racial slurs, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Gun violence
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Slavery
weatherd'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Slavery, Blood, Car accident, Sexism, Rape, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Classism, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Cultural appropriation, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Self harm, Racial slurs, and Mental illness
yungblonde's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Body shaming, Classism, Rape, Sexual violence, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
Moderate: Racism, Death, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Excrement, Slavery, Drug use, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Lesbophobia and Homophobia