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veelaughtland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Confinement, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Suicide
mindespair's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
With his third novel, Iain Reid has cemented himself as one of my favorite authors. I felt that Penny was somewhat of a self-insert for him, especially when she spoke about her art. The quote above really spoke to me because it felt like it came from Reid himself. His work does make me feel relief from my own darkness.
One of my favorite things about Reid as a writer (aside from his unreliable narrators) is his faith in his reader. He never makes the mistake of over-explaining, making you feel dumb. He lets his stories unravel organically without the need for a timeout to explain the logistics. He trusts you with your own interpretation. While I was reading this novel in particular, I kept trying to figure out how to explain what was going on; how Reid could explain it. Eventually I realized that he wouldn't. We don't need to be told why
This book mostly revolves around the fear of growing old, fading away, dying, etc. I found it very touching amidst the exhausting anti-aging craze. Growing old is a privilege. Life is beautiful because it ends. Eternal life is eternal torture. This book took all of these thoughts and whipped them into a beautiful psychological horror.
Lastly, I'd say that my favorite aspect of this novel is how strongly the residents of Six Cedars are pushed to be productive.
This is easily a new favorite. Read it if you can. This was an incredible start to 2024.
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Kidnapping
Minor: Medical content, Animal death, and Suicide
andrewhatesham's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
Moderate: Gaslighting, Medical content, Suicide, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Death
pigeon_'s review
4.5
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Medical content
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
siriface's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death
bookcaptivated'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
2.5
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Medical content, Mental illness, and Suicide
keen'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Dementia and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Body horror, Medical content, Suicide, and Death
Minor: Vomit, Animal death, and Emotional abuse
ivorymusic82's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Death, and Dementia
Moderate: Dysphoria and Grief
Minor: Suicide
mauvesoul's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Medical content, Mental illness, Torture, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Murder, Terminal illness, Death, Dementia, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma
prasi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
We Spread was a phenomenal book about a woman named Penny. Penny is getting older. She's losing function in her body and her memory isn't what it used to be. She spends her days reminiscing about her younger self, painting, and wishing she'd made more of her life when she still could.
After a nasty fall, Penny is taken to a small long-term care residence in the country, surrounded by the forest and nature. For the first time in a long time, Penny is eating and sleeping well. She feels passionate about art again and is making friends with the other residents.
But maybe there's more going on in this house than the others know. Something sinister and creepy. Maybe they're all in danger and time is running out. Maybe Penny is the only one fighting against it. Maybe she's everyone's only hope, if only she can figure out what's going on in time to stop it.
Or maybe Penny has dementia and her mind is playing tricks on her, causing her to lose time, forget where she's been, and make up new memories to make sense of it all.
What I loved so much about this book is that Penny was an unreliable narrator.
Or was she?
Who knows? That in and of itself was part of the thrill. At any given time there was no way for me to know if Penny was genuinely experiencing these events or if this whole story was the result of confabulation and a failing memory.
We Spread is a terrifying story, just as much about a supernatural science experiment as it is about the way the mind fails us as we age. Iain Reid has found a way to put into words the gut-wrenching, helpless fear you feel when you're losing your memories and can't be sure of what's real and what isn't. When you can't tell if that memory is a paranoia-induced nightmare or if you're really being experimented on and used. When you're constantly questioning if your own thoughts and memories are even real.
My brain is still trying to digest this story. I picked this book up from the library earlier today and read it in one day. I flew through the pages and now I'm sitting here writing this review and trying to figure out what the fuck I just read.
This book is brilliant and I absolutely loved it. If you're looking for a psychological thriller/horror read, look no further. This is it!
Graphic: Dementia and Death
Moderate: Medical content and Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal death
Dementia is the closest I can get to describing what this book is about. Dementia is never explicitly named, but one of the main themes of the book is the main character not being sure if she can trust her own memories or thoughts anymore, very much like someone with Dementia loses their memories or confabulates new ones to make sense of everything. Death is also talked about extensively. Medical content is because they are in a long-term care residence and the people there often have IV's, staff helping them shower and use the restroom, etc. The main character talks about a toxic relationship she was in with quite a bit of detail, from the very beginning of the book. Animal death is mentioned and impacts the emotional state of the main character, but is never shown on page.