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chloeknight's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Body horror and Murder
Minor: Transphobia and Blood
niamhflora's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
joy_b's review against another edition
- 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
zoeygrey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The fox scene (iykyk) is genuinely one of the most disgusting things I've ever read.
Graphic: Transphobia, Body horror, Sexual violence, Self harm, Sexual content, and Rape
Moderate: Blood, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Bullying, Child abuse, Dysphoria, and Incest
bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Body horror, Transphobia, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
smcaleerforte's review against another edition
I have no idea what to rate this… 🫣
chronikle's review against another edition
2.0
Extreme horror is not really my thing as a reader. That said, I saw this on a bookshelf in a store, and it immediately gave me brain worms about it until I went back and bought it the other day. Won't be rereading it or recommending it to anyone else (because my friends are also not really extreme horror readers), but I do think Rumfitt's focus on contemporary Britain and the rise of fascism (in its myriad forms, but particularly TERFism) is really interesting as a concept, both here and in her earlier work, Tell Me I'm Worthless.
I do kind of wish the brainwyrms had been more prominent earlier in the book, however. I feel like it took a long time to get to where we were going, and then it kind of just ran face-first into a wall and left me feeling a little like Oh. Was that it? That said, the ending reminds me a lot of both Brian Yuzna's Society and Frank Herbert's Dune combined into a horrible baby, so I didn't hate it.
If you are gonna check it out--Rumfitt helpfully supplies content warnings at the start of the book, and I would strongly advise you heed those warnings.
saturn_rage's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
The stream-of-consciousness that is much of this book works well for the characters and the subject matter, and also gives you a sense of the existential anxiety lacing the entire narrative, something that seeps into you the reader as well (at least for me). Anyhow, I did like this, though it comes with a whole load of content warnings and my stomach is pretty strong. It taps into some parts of me that I should explore more, and is very topical given the current climate I am struggling to exist in.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Drug abuse, Excrement, Blood, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Gore, Self harm, Transphobia, Vomit, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Body shaming, and Child abuse
mystifiedbulb22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Pure insanity shoved into a book. It doesn't always nail the political beats it's trying to hit, but it is enjoyable and disgusting in equal measure.