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thesawyerbean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This was absolutely repugnant to read, and frankly not enjoyable. The characters all sucked in their own ways, some more than others obviously - the discourse on HIV/AIDS was heinous and the grotesque descriptions of carrion and murder were horrifyingly indulgent. The love affair with abuse that all the characters (even the good ones) seemed to foster was gross as well.
I’m not naïve in expecting this book to be pleasant reading, but it could’ve been done in such a better way. This was just literal torture porn. In addition one of the fundamental plot points is just… unbelievable? Andrew somehow managing to basically die without actually dying, getting the better of actual medical professionals and then coming back to consciousness at the exact right time? Sure. Made the whole book even more ridiculous.
I wouldn’t recommend this even if it was good, but it wasn’t. So what’s the point?
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Classism, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Outing, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Gore, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Violence
katrione's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Drug abuse, Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Rape, Gore, Animal cruelty, Violence, Incest, Addiction, Stalking, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Torture, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Body horror, and Blood
cheyanndow's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Incest, Body horror, Rape, Addiction, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, and Sexual violence
satana17'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, and Racism
devin_raquel'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Yes, there was cannibalism. Yes, there was necrophiliac scenes. Yes, there was plenty of detailed gore. But I found the characters flat and the switching between POVs irrelevant. I think the story could’ve been told entirely from Andrew Comptons’ POV, and the readers would’ve gotten the same experience.
As much as I love a dark and bloody story, this one just didn’t do it for me. The only saving grace was Brites’ exquisite imagery and descriptions; she made even the most horrible acts sound beautiful.
Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Racism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, and Racial slurs
wormariwood's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Physical abuse, Rape, Cannibalism, Murder, Sexual violence, Cursing, Gaslighting, Gore, Death, Drug abuse, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Racism and Medical content
Minor: Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, and Racial slurs
peytonliveslife's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Murder, Body horror, Sexual violence, Rape, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Homophobia
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
lovelylilelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Excrement, Rape, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Murder, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Blood, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Addiction, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia
natreviews'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's told from four different perspectives. Three third-person, one first. Two murderers, one victim, and one the victims ex-lover. It was really interesting to read it this way. It was an interesting stylistic choice that actually ended up working. With also having the background set in 1990's New Orleans during the AIDs crisis, it's an interesting read just from a historical standpoint.
I will give you the warning that you will need to read the last 60-100 pages in one sitting. On the final day/night the book takes place, it really ramps up and is just better in one sitting.
I gave this book a 5/5 not only for the story (because even though it's extremally disturbing, it still is a good story), but for how it's written. It's a read that is worth it if you can handle it, but, like Tender is the Flesh, is a book that I don't think I will read again. Once was enough in my opinion.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Vomit, Sexual assault, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Addiction, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Grief, Hate crime, and Pedophilia
shinsoukoku's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
but ill admit i, personally, wanted it to be more than what it was and expand on more on the social commentary because it's the moments where the characters are simply existing in a society that doesn't want them to that really unsettled me. it would've helped understanding the fetishistic descriptions of tran (which i think is probably on purpose) in the eyes of white men as something that actually serves a purpose. but it falls flat and it's interactions with it's setting and the intersecting identities within them is shallow.
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Rape, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Trafficking
Moderate: Racism, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Vomit
Minor: Slavery, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child death, Incest, and Infidelity
asian fetishization