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madscientistcat's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria
Minor: Animal death, Physical abuse, and Racism
dehydratedfarmer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I loved Summer Sons, and I really wanted to love this book. Transmasc/T4T Appalachian gothic horror sounded like the book of my dreams, and that is indeed a true descriptor for The Woods All Black, but there were a couple things I couldn't get past.
I'd taken a look at the content warnings previously, but I didn't discover an important detail until too late. There were warning signs when the main character Leslie was first revealed to be 30, and later, Stevie as 18, but it still caught me off guard later on because I simply didn't think the story would go there. Leslie and Stevie start a sexual relationship, all the while with Leslie continuing to refer to Stevie as "boy" and "youth." While Stevie is technically a legal adult, the severe age gap personally made me uncomfortable, especially considering Stevie's vulnerable and traumatized status (which becomes increasingly clear as his backstory is revealed). My bad for not doing enough research in an attempt not to spoil the book for myself, I guess.
Structurally, The Woods All Black seems to meander like the many backwoods trails described within it, while the advertised horror remains an underlying element that feels more like creepy atmospheric background than active suspense — though it did ramp up toward the end. The trans representation was good, if painful to read in a setting constrained by 1920s bigotry, and it was interesting to experience the perspective of a trans person before much of the modern-day language to describe queer identities was available. The book's atmosphere feels true to its historical setting, touching upon issues of oppression and societal expectations common to that era, but many of the characters were flat and lacked defining features, while the overarching plot was vague and largely directionless.
Oh, and there was graphic monster fucking. Multiple pages of it. Which wasn't even what bothered me, just was completely unexpected in a huh, well that's happening now kind of way. If the book had been advertised as "trans age-gap monster-fucking Appalachian small-town religious bigotry historical revenge horror," it would have reached its ideal audience, which was not me, unfortunately. Someone will dearly love this book, and I'm happy for them.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy
belladonnashrike's review against another edition
2.75
I think that mandelo wrote queerness in the 30s/40s(?) very well and I enjoyed that aspect a lot! the writing there reminded me of a pride & prejudice retelling, most ardently, by gabe cole novoa. and I’m also a big fan
Graphic: Homophobia and Transphobia
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
imchelsi'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? N/A
2.75
The only reason I didn't dnf this is that it was such a short read.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Hate crime, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
quinntillion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Cannibalism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and War
jocie_roller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
5-stars: ooh, this book has potential! A non-passing trans man in the 1920s with WWI battlefield nursing experience visits a remote Appalachian town to provide reproductive and gender affirming health care to anyone who needs it, including another young trans man despite threats from a bigoted preacher in a vaguely spooky, gothic setting. Neat!
4-star: Ok, I get it, the vibe is spooky and suspenseful. Please get on with the plot.
3-stars: The two main characters start a sexual relationship with a pretty graphic sex scene. I'm slightly uncomfy about the age gap and power gap relationship. Also, I prefer my novels free of the type of words for body parts and sex acts usually found in porn titles.
2-stars: Oh, goodness, now we've added super gory violence to the egregious sex scenes.
1-star: Was this entire thing just a bestiality/bloody murder/age-gap porno masquerading as a lit fic novella???
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
mreadsbooks's review
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Confinement, Racism, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
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
basementofbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
cowbrotherx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
also, fully did not anticipate
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail