Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

427 reviews

gottbooks's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

This book definitely has more to offer than what is written on the pages. The plot takes a LONG time to develop. I think there were things added that were completely unnecessary (kid obsessed with Hitler/Nazis). Deals with some heavy topics like suicide and SA. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

_cecilie_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

 If someone had told me this was written by a woman, I would have said 'of course, who else could portray such a story so believably', and that is the highest praise I can give in this context. I came to this book expecting a fast-paced, thrilling and ultimately amusing read like the title suggests. Instead, I was frustrated 80% of the time, cried twice and ranted to three seperate people about the absolute gall this novel had to be actually impactful, thought-provoking and indignation-inducing despite having peaches bleeding from puncture wounds on the cover!

I will not repeat all my rantings and ravings here but compile a few of the points I thought most important. First, I really respect that this story would work almost as well if it had no fantasy in it at all and that it is frustrating but in a good, a real way. Patricia (and the other women in this story) is undervalued, not being believed, made to feel small and helpless and if you have any semblance of empathy it will make you curse and seethe on their behalf while feeling as powerless as them. Not to say that these are unproblematic characters, oh no! If you have a problem with reading about sexist or racist characters then maybe skip this one entirely, especially if you have the feeling that you need to brush up on your media literacy skills. All of these characters are flawed but at the same time distinct, fleshed out and worthy of sympathy. 

I loved (hated, but it was a good kind of hate) that all of them had to sacrifice something, that nothing was sunshine and rainbows at the end but they had to deal with real consequences. Also, I'm not saying that chopping up poeple you hate is a great way to deal with them but some just have it coming.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Rape, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Violence, Body horror, Classism, Gore, Grief, Sexism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Stalking

twinkle_flavored's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? N/A

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Gaslighting, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Gore, and Child abuse

crowcrafts's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny tense

• 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Body horror, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

arukeni's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Racism, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

therealsadiemarie's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but what was actually happening was too gross and horrific for my tastes. I almost DNF’d, but pushed through since I had gotten so far. Totally my bad for not reading any CW or anything about this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

Moderate: Racism

lewbug's review against another edition

I think a lot of my frustrations with this book deals with the way it was marketed. I expected a campy and funny story. I was told “Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meets Dracula”. What I read was horrific and gorey and graphic. It started out with funny elements and got exceedingly darker. I tried to tough it out and even got through the truly horrific rat scene (but not without gagging). I finally broke and looked up some more information and there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. There should have been an EXTENSIVE list of content warning clearly marked on somewhere on this book and they should not have marketed it like they did. There is rape (I stopped before this but I hear it is horrific and awful and doesn’t add to the story at all), racism, sexism, classism, abuse, child murder, child molestation, horrific deaths, body horror, gaslighting, awful scenes with rats and apparently cockroaches later, and so much gore in disgustingly graphic detail and frankly I feel a bit betrayed because I picked this up expecting humor and maybe a little bit of light gore. I’m sure there’s an audience for this book but I am not it and I’m kind of mad I was led to believe I was 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Rape, Physical abuse, Racism, Child abuse, Suicide, Death, Stalking, Classism, Drug abuse, Gore, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Body horror

blackbirdbibliophile's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Animal death, Body horror, Sexual violence, Blood, Murder, Death, and Racism

jessiphillips's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Overall it was kind of icky 😬 during the first half of this book I was thinking it would be a five star read, however the second half was so horrific that I don’t even want to give it three. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Sexual violence, Blood, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, and Rape

lippi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny slow-paced

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

4.5

The more I read Grady Hendrix the more I realize his horror has little to do with the monster and everything to do with the injustice’s of life. I think if you come into this novel expecting horror and gore that is apolitical and sanitized, you will be bored, annoyed, and disgusted. But if you are here for something more complex you might be delighted. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal death