Reviews with content warning for Suicide - Sour Candy

This was pretty good, but way too rushed to actually develop any lore, which is a bummer to me. The concept was deeply cool, and Burke did a good job of developing a sense of dread throughout the book, but then the ending happened way too fast for my taste and things fell apart. I did like that

Cortez discovered a baby in the back of his car, although I'm not totally clear on how that happened if he didn't eat the candy. And also, what's the point of saddling the carriers with kids? Wouldn't it be more effective for the elders if the spawn just launch out of peoples' chests all of a sudden? I get that that kind of disassembles the central concept, but still.

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nika_nix's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was right up my alley! I love these kinds of stories, where there is some sort of cycle to the story. Also, the reader can feel how the main character is losing their mind and how helpless they feel. That, to me, is what the horror genre is about. So good, one of my favorite horror novellas.

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julessssss's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No

1.0

this really didn't work for me - it felt really cliche and the writing itself at times was annoying to me (almost like parts were supposed to be humorous, but I didn't think they were)

the story probably could have used more page space to its benefit because all of the characters fell flat for me

also the section at the end about the detective's daughter?? there was no need for it and I am SICK of men writing random scenes about women (HIS DAUGHTER) doing sexual things for no reason

I think I may try another one of his works, especially because it seems like others like his stuff

overall, I was disappointed (thanks BookTok)

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bashsbooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Sour Candy was a fun and eerie short story. I enjoyed the more mundane aspects - in initial interaction at the store, the car accident, the discussion with the detectives - the most. When it edged into more direct eldritch horror, I found that I liked it a little less - the writing style (which is inverted in a way I find hard to describe) is better suited to the mundane.

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