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sheriffrockyraccoon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
My main issues come from the main character. Leslie is an outsider looking in, and that meant a lot of character development surrounding love interests, “friends”, and antagonists was not present. I also have a strong distaste for stories that have a bias against rural towns, claiming cities are better. In the case of Leslie, Stevie does call this out at one point but it is hardly acknowledged and does not seem to change his opinion. Of course, yes, this town is evil and the population is truly horrible, but it felt as though I were being told through past stories and dialogue why they were so villainous. I would have liked to see more action between the protagonist and antagonist(s), as much of their scuffles really only came from passive-aggressive comments.
I was also frustrated with the pacing, as we don’t even see the monster until halfway through the story. Most of the book consists of Leslie becoming frustrated with the townspeople and, it is noted several times, being unable to read Woolf’s Orlando. It did drive me crazy how many times this was noted. The last fourth of the story is great, there are very exciting and tense scenes (and monster porn) that truly categorize it as a horror. It is disappointing that we did not get more of it.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes queer horror, with an emphasis on queer living. Mandelo’s writing is decent and can be very engaging when something is happening to move the plot forward.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism and Rape
errie's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Dysphoria
rhi_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Deadnaming, Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
vampandcoffee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
BUT: there are no goddamn trigger warnings anywhere, at least not in my copy. And they are desperately needed!
Also, tell me why the 30yo protagonist started a sexual (on page!) relationship with a freshly 18yo? WHY? What was the reason to not age up the love interest? (Can‘t be for shock effect cause the relationship is never questioned at all!!!) OH, and also: why did they then proceed to monsterfuck for a second time? For the love of God, add trigger warnings for that next time…
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
Minor: Abortion
thehal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Death and Sexual assault
meagan123's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Medical content, and Abortion
Minor: Sexual violence
sammy357'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault and Abortion
courtneys_shelves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book is not for everyone. But it is for some very specific people who will cherish it.
The book is graphic, both sexually and with regards to violence. It is a dark, dark novella. It begins slowly, but when it picks up, it REALLY picks up, and I didn’t want to put it down.
Leslie is a trans man serving in the Frontier Nursing Service in rural Appalachia in 1929. When he is assigned a post in a small, religiously zealous town, he struggles not only achieve the medical ends he wants to achieve to help the people of Spar Creek, but also to find ways to help Stevie, a young man with whom Leslie thinks he may have much in common. As trouble between Leslie and the town grows, so does the sense that something supernatural is afoot.
If you you can stomach the intensity, this book has much to say about belonging, revenge, and religious zealotry.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Deadnaming, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and War
acrosstheskyinstars's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Lesbophobia, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
cmd586's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Outing, and Sexual harassment