Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo

38 reviews

ash_36's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Abortion

fran's review

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Murder, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, and Rape

Minor: Child abuse and Abortion

herelieshenry's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• 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

I think Mandelo’s writing is superb and some people will eat this book up—the romance subplot just wasn’t for me and I didn’t expect it going in, so I think I was expecting something slightly different. The atmosphere of dread was very well done though, and the historical Appalachian cadence of the dialogue was stellar. I think I’ll enjoy Mandelo’s other works more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Transphobia, Medical content, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Racism, Sexual assault, 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

kat42's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

Did not know this was a monsterfucking book. Not exactly my thing (no shade to people who enjoy it, it's just not for me). Almost nothing happened during the first half, and idk if it should be classified as horror even though there's definitely some gore and cruelty. Also Leslie didn't really advance the story at all, and I didn't love that Leslie was 30 and the love interest was 18.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Rape and Abortion

justacowboy's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

What a good time ... The book starts off slow, but I think the pay off of it all it worth it. If you can get through the first 50 some pages, then the rest of the story flies by! Also, it has trans-queer monster fucking so what's not to love?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, Abortion, and War

Minor: Pregnancy

sammy357's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault and Abortion

blacksphinx's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

This is the second time I've read a horror novella from Lee Mandelo that I didn't think qualified as horror. I guess it does because it is a rape-revenge story, but it's mainly a historical queer empowerment novella about monsterfucking. Normally I'd love such a thing but our protagonist is so useless though, and 95% of the story would have shaken out the same way if he wasn't there at all. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Transphobia, Medical content, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria

Minor: Confinement, Racism, Rape, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, and War

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