Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo

39 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

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Rape, Murder, and War

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.

---

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

---

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

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?

---

Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: Pregnancy

chantaal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Transphobia, Blood, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Sexual assault and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape

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. 

---

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.

---

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

cmd586's review against another edition

At about 2/3 of the way in this became too much like porn for me. I put it down as not for me. I was there for the horror, not the graphic sex. 

---

Content Warnings

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

radlizareads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and War

Moderate: Pregnancy

kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I liked this! short without feeling rushed, it felt like watching a standalone episode of a very well-made miniseries. i like revenge and i love when oppressed characters get to kill bigots so lots to enjoy here! none of that “but we’d be as bad as them if we fight back” tom foolery; just desserts for the entire town! Oprah-level payback if you will 

@ Sony consider the river scene required reading for the next Venom movie pls & thx

edit: mandelo thanking joon for Indigo in the acknowledgements is so real, apobangpo

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Transphobia, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Rape, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Colonisation and War