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Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Miscarriage, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence
Graphic: Racism, Violence
Moderate: Death, Gore, Torture, Murder
Minor: Confinement, Rape, Death of parent
Ordinary Monsters took a tight hold of me from the very first page and it would not let go!
In this gothic, victorian inspired world there are children with extraordinary gifts, primarily with enhanced regenerative cells. For example, there is a boy who can completely heal himself no matter the injury, and another girl can make herself entirely invisible. These children are called The Talents.
Agents hunt down these talents and take them to a British Estate where they learn to control their gifts and are protected from outside forces, especially from one Jacob Marber - a terrific, chilling villain with so much depth and a great past you can't help but love and hate!
J.M. Miro is a world building master. His descriptions of certain places are beautiful and gritty and painful. He's taken inspiration from all your favorites and collided them together successfully.
Magic school for mutants? Check! Lovecraftian horror? Check! Dickensian conditions? Check!
And the author has taken his time to introduce every character and make you care about them. But don't get too attached because this world is dark and unforgiving.
All in all this was a great first read from a new author and J.M. Miro might be a new favorite of mine. I look forward to the second book.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Gore, Torture
Minor: Child death, Racism, Blood
By the end we’re following at least three storylines, all about a great evil that’s going to release the dead into our world and the forces of good that are fighting to keep that from happening. The children are unusual - one has a separate flesh giant that smells of rotting meat but the rest are more appealing - and the monsters are indeed monstrous.
I’m delighted to report that there’s a hero cat. I’d have given this five stars even if there weren’t a hero cat, but the hero cat puts this firmly in the ten-star category.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia
Moderate: Ableism, Gore, Slavery, Blood, Murder
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Blood
Moderate: Racism
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Murder