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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
the_comfy_cosy_corner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Addiction, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Colonisation, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, and War
horizonous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Vomit, and Body horror
Moderate: Fatphobia, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Drug abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Bullying, Racism, Blood, and Car accident
◦ Mental illness = PTSDnikogatts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Vomit, Eating disorder, Animal death, Self harm, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Bullying, Car accident, Grief, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexism, Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, and Terminal illness
eed8's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Gore, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Medical content, Drug use, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Mental illness, and Sexual assault
lucimolri'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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Child abuse, Excrement, Death, Drug use, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Car accident and Child death
owenwilsonbaby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was camp and fun! I loved it. Scary enough to be a quick, compelling read but not so disturbing that it interfered with my love for the characters. Hendrix's depiction of teenage isolation and anxiety was at times painful to read but delicately amplified the wider horror plot and tropes at work. The real demon is high school!!
Not going to articulate this very well but I think this book's willingness to tackle both the joy and terror of growing up in the eighties is its primary strength. There's a romance and excitement to the setting and time period but it avoids indulging a simplified, homogenised version of the American past that Myke Bartlett identifies in media like Stranger Things. Its exploration of class, racism, ableism and rape culture works to create an uneasiness at the heart of this horror story. Abby has to face down the devil whilst also battling prejudice and a lack of understanding from her peers and the adults in her life.
I don't have many criticisms, and those that I do have I think I can put down to the fact that this book is first and foremost oriented towards young adult readers and therefore written with a different demographic in mind. I did at times wonder if the story may have benefited from the complexity of exploring queerness (hence Abby's penultimate 'dearly and queerly!' confession) but I can appreciate the centring of platonic love and female friendship when recent nostalgic outings like Stranger Things and the IT movies seemed to, at least initially, explore male friendship. All that said, I really enjoyed this book. It made for a good break from long reads, and the pacing, prose and imagery were particularly fantastic.
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gore, Violence, Ableism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Bullying, Sexual violence, Car accident, Classism, Alcohol, Self harm, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Vomit, Death of parent, and Gun violence
gabbishy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
My Best Friend's Exorcism was also my first horror-type novel, and I think the author was very successful in creating an atmosphere of suspense. I found myself genuinely creeped out several times while reading. As a former teenage girl, I found the way the main character was written to be spot on! It's easy to relate to and root for her while at the same time shaking your head at her whenever she does something dumb.
I honestly loved this book, and my only complaint relates to the ending...
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Body horror, Self harm, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Bullying, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Fatphobia, Gore, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, and Adult/minor relationship
kelldel'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Cursing, Bullying, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Blood, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Self harm, and Vomit
Moderate: Murder, Racism, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Car accident, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Torture, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, and Homophobia
grimviolins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Eating disorder, Gun violence, Gore, and Drug use
Minor: Alcohol, Slavery, Mass/school shootings, Homophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Car accident