Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Boys of Alabama by Genevieve Hudson

5 reviews

charlie_cheese's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• 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

2.5

Boys will be boys or something

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body horror, Hate crime, and Rape

indigosparrow's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Excrement, Vomit, and Alcohol

Minor: Bullying, Drug use, Hate crime, Infidelity, Self harm, and Pregnancy

librarianmage's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Homophobia

Moderate: Body horror

carolinefaireymeese's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Hudson has and hasn't succeeded in equal measure portraying an Alabama where labels and religion and self-definition do and do not define everyone. By this, I mean that I (a South Carolinian) know well a queer South Carolina, an antiracist and diverse South Carolina, and a South Carolina with a dangerous, xenophobic, racist religious fervor. In Hudson's book, the fault lines of these countries edge and shake each other through proximity, which is somehow true and not true.

Max's perspective was essential. As another reviewer pointed out, his foreignness allowed for a closeness to the subject of poison-drinking and snake-eating religion that Pan's perspective wouldn't have brought. Growing up near a dangerous cult is one thing; being entranced by it is another.

I wanted more agency from Max, though. Until the very last pages, he effortlessly bridged the two Alabamas he inhabited with no consequences, with no thought to the future or his desires from it. Pan treated him terribly, to be sure, and he was taken advantage of by the entire football team as a new convert.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Alcoholism, Body horror, and Xenophobia

simonamiller's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry