Scan barcode
spookymoosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Body horror and Child death
Moderate: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
Minor: Animal death
zeroshi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Alcohol
saccharinewoe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness and Fire/Fire injury
shadowspinner's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Blood
Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, and Vomit
lucylou's review against another edition
3.75
Minor gripe about this book: the author almost only describes characters’ eyes as “wide,” so often that it was actually distracting.
I read 3/4ths and listened to the last 1/4th, and I would recommend listening to the audiobook- Kimberly Farr does a fantastic job.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Ableism, Mental illness, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
tabookish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Dementia
hanj12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, and Death of parent
dev921's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
throwback682's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As someone said on Reddit, “I think that it’s an entertaining ghost story that is better as a deconstruction of abusive relationships.” and I couldn’t put it better myself. If you’re not reading this book as allegory then you’re fucking up. Part of me thinks the comparisons were laid on a bit thick, but given the amount of people who didn’t seem to read it this way, maybe not. I also thought it was very funny, especially the early chapters, but again many folks don’t seem to see the humor.
Yes I guessed a twist way ahead of time but it was also sort of not the point - a slight red herring for a bigger twist.
In short: it was a funny, spooky book, that dealt with very heavy and potentially triggering subject matter in a novel way.
I think everything people complained about in other reviews (the annoying, infuriating daughter; the repetitiveness) all served a purpose. I think it worked really well.
I just wish it hadn’t relied on ableist stereotypes/stigmas against mentally ill folks, is truly my only real complaint.
Read with caution if you’ve been a victim of intimate partner violence.
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse and Confinement
Minor: Forced institutionalization
Tons of body horror and blood throughout, including involving children. The entire book is an allegory for an abusive relationship involving alcoholism. Mentally ill people are stigmatized as violent.maggie_falk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Murder, and Alcohol