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deathmetalheron's review
- 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? Yes
3.5
This is my first splatterpunk book, and even though the majority of themes are met with revulsion the vast majority of character dynamics/situations negotitate with the severity in an appropriate matter, that is to say--appropriate for their subject manner. The protagonist is quite unlikable, and while there are dips in moments whereas you wonder whether the dislikability is intentional or just potentially reflective of an acidic actual personality of the author it mostly fits the story.
That is to be said, the most grotesque scene in this book (if you've read it, it's very obvious, the one about 2/3 to 3/4 through the book) is very clearly written to offend and due to its nature comes across more as shock jock tomfoolery than necessary revulsion. The last action taken in the scene by the characters is far too meta but for a book that is so meta-aware the text does nothing to indicate it understands that angle at this point in the story. As it stands, the concept of exploring humanity's dark psychological recesses is certainly possible but it will always reek of tryhardism if we simply rely on weak, ineffectual shock without any existential consequence.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Body horror, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death, Rape, and Blood
Moderate: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Murder
Minor: Infidelity
kristinajoy07's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, Blood, Violence, Mental illness, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
linneajht'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
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Animal death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Abortion, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Cannibalism, Eating disorder, Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, Child death, Blood, Car accident, Body horror, Sexual content, Rape, Pregnancy, and Addiction
florenciangl06's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
While I really enjoy fucked up books, this one just felt like the author took the worst things he could imagine, put them in a blender, swallowed it, and then vomited it into a book. And the worst part, is that it just felt cringy, like it was written by and edgy 16 year old. It's disgusting. It's annoying.
I really believe it could have been a really good book if *certain* scenes weren't just shock value.
Serously, read the trigger warning guys.
Graphic: Abortion, Cannibalism, Gore, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Drug use, Death, Murder, and Miscarriage
Heavy necrophilia, beware.madeinlavanda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Rape, Death, Sexual content, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Child death, Sexual violence, and Cannibalism
maxinekelly's review
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
hannah_allen's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Unfortunately, this author chose the latter of these options when writing Dead Inside.
The reader receives limited information about the two main characters and their backgrounds. There isn’t a full-fledged story told- we go from one horrific and gruesome situation to the next, until the book eventually ends. And in my opinion, if an author is going to commit to the dark and disturbing parts of the human psyche, then the author has a responsibility to the reader to write a story, not a series of disturbing happenings loosely woven together with necrophilia and cannibalism.
Aside from the author’s descriptions of the books’ settings, the prose is underwhelming, and the dialogue feels forced. The twist is predictable, but is set up very well throughout the book. The author gives the reader a lovely, ironic dichotomy of the two characters’ “final forms” in the last pages that gives some relief from their grotesque tension. I also enjoyed the brief periods of time I found myself “rooting for” the main character; these were also welcomed reprieves from the book’s (at times) unnecessary graphicness.
With all that being said, I *am* sitting here thinking and talking about this book, and this could very well be one of the author’s goals. In that sense, he did what he set out to do. I just think this book could have been written with a clearer point of view. Maybe I’ve interpreted this in a way it’s not meant to be interpreted, but I will not be re-reading this book to parcel that out.
If you want a much darker, shorter, and more disturbing book with the same vibes as Verity by Colleen Hoover, this *might* be a book worth your time. If you absolutely love body-horror movies, this might be a book worth your time. If you’re looking for something purposefully shocking, this also might be a book worth your time.
TRIGGER WARNINGS (graphic descriptions): necrophilia, cannibalism, sexual assault, rape, abortion, infant death.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Rape and Murder
Graphic descriptions of necrophilia are included 2-3 times throughout this book.ldy_stnhrt's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Rape, Abortion, Cannibalism, Gore, Incest, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Blood, and Child death
thestrayreader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I need a day, no a year, off of whatever this is. 😭
Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, Self harm, Abortion, Blood, Sexual violence, Violence, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Excrement, Gore, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, and Vomit
magepersephone's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, and Sexual violence