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dalmavatai's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Basically, I just wanted this book to be weirder and more horror-y. I also felt like the characters were blank slates and props to the ominous tone of the stories rather than actual, fully fleshed out human beings. I think this collection of novellas achieves what it sets out to do, but the plot was too quiet for me, especially as the characters were also pretty indistinct. I did like the concepts and the ominous atmosphere but they did not go as far as I wanted them to. Also, the last story is quite ableist imo - the main character is obsessed with the triple amputee's body which is made out to be the object of a normative gaze: we as the reader are supposed to be both fascinated and terrified by it and it just feels a bit voyeuristic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Fatphobia, and Pregnancy
Minor: Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
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