Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro

8 reviews

silea's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

A strange book. The writing feels very disorganized- single paragraphs will veer between topics. Sometimes it contradicts itself from one sentence to the next (telling us a kid slept in his clothes, then that he didn’t sleep at all, etc). But I kept reading, and I finished it, so their must be something compelling about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexism, Hate crime, Murder, Pregnancy, and Body horror

Moderate: Infertility, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Classism, Alcohol, Drug use, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Suicide, Homophobia, and War

witchleaves's review

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Hate crime, Alcohol, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Torture, and Vomit

blacksphinx's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Gore, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual content, Death, Murder, Pregnancy, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, Drug use, and Colonisation

Minor: Deportation, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry

mfrisk's review against another edition

challenging inspiring reflective tense 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

V. Castro is quickly becoming a must-read author for me. I read Goddess of Filth near the end of last year and so it feels write to be finishing the first month of this new year with a book of hers that I loved even more than the last I read. This book expanded even greater on the themes of friendship, sexuality, family, and spirituality to give us a story which was both dark but also at times hopeful and empowering. 

This passage in particular really felt relevant to where we are now and encapsulates a lot of what the book discusses in greater detail, “ Hate is not an idea or a thing in the sky. Hate is spilled blood with the stench of putrefying flesh that should never leave our memory. It should be burned and laid to rest. But for some, hate is the only way they can feel comfortable with what they don’t understand or can’t control.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Hate crime, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Gore, Death, Terminal illness, and Violence

Minor: Vomit

ninahuynh's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• 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? No

5.0

Saw this book at the Last Bookstore a while back and was eager to read it. And it delivered!! The tragedy, the horror, the revenge: all beautifully written and encapsulated a legend that feels real and retold well. There were a few typos and hiccups, but the storyline got me to overlook them. <<Be sure to read trigger warnings before reading, as one would do for horror genre.>>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Torture, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Lesbophobia

Minor: Vomit, Car accident, Deportation, Violence, Alcohol, Bullying, and Animal cruelty

bethsiekierawalker's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Alcohol, Hate crime, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment

savvylit's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The Queen of the Cicadas is a thrilling horror fantasy of wide-ranging scope. The novel's timeline jumps between a 1950s hate crime and present day. The heinous hate crime central to the book serves as the origin story for the titular Queen of the Cicadas. Any and all descriptions around La Reina's becoming are incredibly difficult to stomach. Let's just say that, throughout the whole novel, Castro certainly doesn't shy away from cruelty and gore. And it works so well.

As the book progresses, La Reina de Las Chicharras reveals itself to be a misunderstood urban legend, rooted in racial hatred. Castro effortlessly incorporates Aztec mythology into what is honestly the perfect revenge tale.

This book would be a solid 5 Stars for me if I hadn't found the timeline jumps to be a bit disjointed. Sometimes the story didn't flow as easily as I'd hoped, with segments feeling incredibly rushed - especially at the book's end. Ultimately, though, this was a very memorable exploration of mythology and the lasting effects of racial hatred.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Hate crime, Death, Blood, Alcohol, Sexual content, Medical content, and Pregnancy

eli_is_trying's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

2.5

Read because I loved the concept. Did not like the writing and felt that everything needed to be developed more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Death, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Hate crime

Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug use, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Genocide