Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo

9 reviews

bwoo's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Rape, Murder, and War

meagan123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

courtneys_shelves's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

• 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

NOTE: REVIEW BASED ON AN UNCORRECTED DIGITAL GALLEY

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.

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Content Warnings

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

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

devh8su's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury

livlamentloathe's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

This book had me on edge the whole time but it’s SO deeply satisfying. I grabbed it without knowing much, just cause I’d liked Summer Sons. And oh man did it overwhelm my expectations!!

HIGH recommend to queers, non-cis queer folk especially. Please enjoy this strange, dark tale of justice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Deadnaming, Gore, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, and Abortion

This book does NOT bury its gays. There is a lot of triggering subject matter but trust me when I say it’s worth it for the ending.

ryanandrew23's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

lynch's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• 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

i have no words for how incredible this read was. important and brilliant. everything i want to embody, and totally sexy beyond imagination. changed my life, i fear. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Rape, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

charleshasalibrary's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Trans vengeance on smalltown religious bigotry, set in the hills of Appalachia where all sorts of beasts are known to wander... I stayed up until the witching hour reading this one, holding my breath the entire time. The Woods All Black was like a fever dream I never wanted to end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Abortion, and War