Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt

73 reviews

lexiestrack's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Why give content warnings if you aren't even going to cover some of the worst stuff that happens in the book? Why say that a character uses she AND they pronouns if you're only going to refer to that character using they/them for the entire book? I can get past the absolutely disgusting body horror aspects of this book but the specific kinds of violence and evil that is carried out I feel is unnecessary in its intensity and graphic description and, unlike in Tell Me I'm Worthless does not build up to something that makes the relentless, upsetting stuff worth it. the end did not justify the means. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Incest

djbobthegirl's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Incest, Misogyny, Deadnaming, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Confinement, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Child death, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Blood, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Mental illness, Violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Self harm, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Trafficking, Alcohol, Abortion, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Stalking

fuathling's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.75

Perhaps I'm still processing this book but in all honestly I can't give it more than a lukewarm review.

If you're looking for something to cringe over, to grimace at while reading due to the sheer abundance of grotesque, stomach-churning filth mounted on the pages: it's a book worthy of conversation. 

After reading this I found myself wishing I knew someone else who had just so that we could both stare at each other and collectively chant "what the fuck". 

Alison seems to depict transphobia as a disease-- which isn't altogether a poor depiction; but fails to tie her story together in a way that really feels concrete.

I finished this story envisioning a loosely knotted ball of dripping gore with no real core plot tying it all together. It seems to unravel at the end in a sort of "yes, its just more gross stuff" way that doesn't feel at all satisfying and instead left me going "huh???"

I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't impressed, either.

The book is chalk full of fucked up scenes, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone triggered by transphobic, dysphoric, or sexual scenarios. There's a lot to be flagged about this book, but if you can handle it-- I suggest reading it with a friend: that way you at least have someone as equally confused as you are by the end of it all.

I get the overlying message, but I failed to find the real satisfaction of a book well written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Body horror, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Violence, Murder, and Sexual violence

myqueerbookshelf's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Body horror, Violence, Sexual violence, and Excrement

chelseakado's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Body horror, Medical content, Excrement, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Body shaming

Minor: Incest and Deadnaming

ee_comins's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexism, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Transphobia, Torture, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Addiction, Hate crime, Incest, Medical trauma, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Suicide, Abandonment, and Suicidal thoughts

k2_hancock's review against another edition

challenging dark informative tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Pregnancy, Death, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Dysphoria, Blood, Body horror, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Transphobia, Vomit, Sexual content, Self harm, Hate crime, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Suicide

Minor: Incest and Child death

readingwithsierra's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Gore, Murder, Violence, Vomit, Transphobia, Misogyny, Body horror, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

Moderate: Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Self harm, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia

sparklysputnik's review against another edition

An intense read, but once I put it down and thought about it I realised it was hurting me more than anything else. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, Mental illness, Body horror, Stalking, Torture, Transphobia, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Excrement, Vomit, Blood, Incest, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

All trigger warnings are under graphic because most are regular topics and even if they aren't, the author is detailed and doesn't hold back on any of it. Not something I would recommend to many, especially those who haven't tried any transgressive horror before. Start at the shallow end with something else, then see if this is for you.

frofox's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Body horror, Transphobia, and Fatphobia