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shubunkin_reads'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? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Child death and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Sexual violence, Excrement, and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Homophobia
seawarrior's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Death of parent, Outing, and Sexual harassment
entre_fanon_y_weil's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
hi_im_tate's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Now, onto the contents of this book. I can see why people call this book "gross". It does explore some intense kinks (biting, blood, guns) with minors, but I thought it was done in a good way when they were CONSENSUAL! Reading about minors doing some of these things did gross me out, but I also have to remember that this stuff in real life already. That was another this that made me enjoy this book. The things that happened in this book have happened and will happen in real life. It makes it much more harder to swallow. Looking at the relationships between the girls reminded me of my relationships with friends growing up (though, not as intense). Having a friendship with a group like this, where two are deemed the "leaders" and one an "outcast" really describes adolescent female friendships well in my experience. Growing up with one person all your life makes the two of you merge together in a way you wouldn't have thought possible before.
The descent into psychosis felt real to me, even though I have never experienced it. The repetitive movements, the noticing small details, and the panic that is ever encompassing a person made ME feel like I was in her shoes. I could hold empathy for her because of what had happened to her and how she "learned" to deal with it.
The dealing of the religious trauma was probably my favorite part. Denying your sexuality, forming something you can actually believe in, questioning everything you've learned about the religion you were raised as. It definitely sheds light on how religion can fuck someone up.
The imagery from this book was wonderfully grotesque. It was a book I didn't want to put down; not necessarily because it was so good, but because I wanted the answers hidden in the pages. And I still don't feel satisfied with what I got
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship
paperknotbooks'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Eating disorder, and Excrement
rook13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Rated it 4 only bc the sexual aspect of the horror was sometimes a bit much (and with that in mind--tw for anyone for whom that may be an issue, including tw for sexual assault described rather graphically if not explicitly).
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest, Sexual assault, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Excrement, and Vomit
caitlynes91's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Homophobia, Self harm, Excrement, and Cannibalism
cantfindmybookmark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
If I had to quickly summarize this book I’d say it’s Heathers meets the Craft meets Psycho. It’s about mean girls and toxic friendships and obsession and madness.
This book places queer, female desire at its center as it explores the horrors of adolescence and aging, the thin line between pleasure and pain, and the many dualities of womanhood. It combines angst and madness in a way that cautions (strongly) against uncontrolled desire.
Jawbone is a truly disturbing book. Not just with its imagery (which can be downright gross) but also with the very composition of the prose. With each subordinate clause and parenthetical remark within parenthetical remark, the reader grows more and more uncomfortable and the foreboding and claustrophobic atmosphere intensifies.
This is Ojeda’s first book to be translated into English and all I can say is man, I can’t wait for more.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexism, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, and Classism
Minor: Animal death
our_bookish_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, and Rape
cloroxcrew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail