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nialiversuch's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Infertility, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Ableism, Violence, Rape, Child death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual content
bookswithgeorgia'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: Cancer, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Infertility, Rape, Self harm, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship
naturemamareads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia, Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Infertility
_lia_reads_'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Racism, Infertility, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, and Pedophilia
franklybookish's review against another edition
4.5
CW: suicidal ideation, rape, sexual abuse, miscarriage, abortion, cannibalism, suicide, grief
"What is the nature of hate? What's it useful for? And Zey imagines the townspeople, their whispers, and cruel laws, their narrowed eyes. How they ostracized the women [The Scarlet Letter], conspired to contain her light.
They were scared of her, Zey tells the teacher, realizing it as she speaks, and he jabs a finger in her direction. Yes! Exactly that, he says. Now he's getting excited, pacing before their desks, and Zey tilts forward in her seat, angling closer to his truth. Hate, he continues is almost always a cover for some perceived psychological threat-- our guilt or pain. Our fear. And how do we treat things of which we are afraid?" from 'Tongues'
Review: I found this debut to be a remarkable, authentic, and poignant collection of moments, interactions, relationships, and individuals grounded in common situations, yet hidden in the dark spaces of what we keep out of public eyes. Written in a lyrical, truly raw, and unencumbered way it's impossible to not feel compelled and emotionally linked to these characters. Moniz, in so few pages, draws the reader in and develops foundational relationships, in many ways better and stronger than many 200+ page novels do. Many of these stories, although ambiguous in nature and lacking traditional resolutions, find great success in the emotional transference to readers of what the characters are going through, how they are attempting to navigate life, and the impact of their relationships.
As with most short story collections, some stories were stronger than others. 'Milk Blood Heat' the first story presented and from which the whole collection is named, is one of the stronger pieces. Additionally, 'Tongues' and 'The Hearts of Our Enemies' stood out to me, though none of the stories stood out as a true "week link", the entire collection is strong. I personally loved the darkness of these stories, to me that darkness mimicked true life and meant there was no shying away from the truth of difficult situations and the impact of mental health.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the advanced e-copy in exchange for a fair review*
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Blood and Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness