Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

9 reviews

michaelion's review

hopeful mysterious 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

3.25

I'm not a fan of this style of mixing fantasy and reality. Like, why would the Disney princess Ariel exist in this universe? If mythical creatures are real, why in the real world would you call them mythical beings? Surely there would be some other term. Also, the writing tries to be mysterious to be point where it's confusing. Like. Just tell us what's happening instead of telling us what happened 3 pages later.

Also!!! A quarter into the book, my journal entry for page 73 is "medusa?!" I guessed it that quick! Which isn't bad but is funny. In a world where "mythical creatures" are real and there's real stigma around them, even though no one's ever seen a gorgon or whatever why didn't they think of that?! I did!!!

But anyway. It really hooked my attention after the halfway point, which isn't good, but I had fun. The fantasy element just clearly wasn't thought out thoroughly enough, but before the book was over I rented out the sequel at my library because I wanted to keep the ball rolling!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Police brutality, and Child abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Stalking, Self harm, Body horror, Grief, Abandonment, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Ableism and Terminal illness

rubybastille's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

3.5

I loved the use of mythical creatures as a mirror/allegory for real-world racism, but the story itself felt thin and unfocused. Characters who were meant to come across as sympathetic (or at least complicated) felt unlikable to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Racism, and Body horror

Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

amberinpieces's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Moderate: Racism, Bullying, and Police brutality

Minor: Death of parent, Body horror, Kidnapping, Confinement, Grief, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, and Murder

ramblereader's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Police brutality

Moderate: Death of parent, Outing, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Confinement

keenanmaree's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

5.0

This book was so wonderful. It’s a beautiful exploration of Black female friendship, family, and intersectionality. The characters all feel so real (even the ones who are really mythical beings) and multidimensional, and the story is so gripping that I blew through it faster than I’ve read any other book in a long time, because I just HAD to know what happened next. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Racism, Self harm, and Violence

maisierosereads's review

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Racism, and Police brutality

rini's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Racism

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Minor: Ableism, Stalking, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• 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: Racism, Xenophobia, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Hate crime

Moderate: Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Panic attacks/disorders

babayagaofficial's review

emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Police brutality, Racism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Fatphobia and Kidnapping