Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

39 reviews

thedinosaurkid's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The book was good. 
The main reason I am giving this book a 3.5 instead of a 4 is because the majority of the action took place in the last 1/4th of the book. I wish that there was more action in the first 3/4ths. Other than that this was a really good book. 
As always Hendrix is great at pissing me off with the assholes he writes in his stories.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Body horror, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Infidelity, and Pedophilia

julianimal's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Infidelity, and Child death

sambashua's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

caitlin_doggos's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Dementia, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Rape, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol and Medical content

Minor: Animal death

prynne31's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, Violence, Murder, and Bullying

Moderate: Animal death, Drug abuse, Racism, Animal cruelty, and Rape

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Cursing, Alcohol, Gaslighting, and Body horror

rosefl's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

This book reads like a superficial understanding of women. It relies heavily on the stereotypes of rich, white, suburban housewives. And in a book with a fantastical element such as a vampire, Hendrix still decided to include racist stereotypes in addition to the sexism. There are times where it seems like Hendrix is crafting a character that is more complex than her role as a housewife, but it’s then washed away with a desire to maintain the appearance of an easy and happy life. A Black mother wants to know what’s happening to her daughter, yet somehow is a poor mother and only has lite beer and kool aid to offer guests. Young men wanting to protect their neighborhood are chalked up to be thugs and gangsters (never mind that no Black man would talk to a white woman like Hendrix wrote, even in 2022 because of what could happen). Even after all is said and done, the women of this book club write off the Black kids who died because while you can’t save everyone, at least you finally did something when it was your own kids. I’m not sure how these are “relevant examples of sociopolitical injustices” can “satisfy any literary appetite (Foreword Reviews, starred review).” 

So many things in this book were uncalled for, as they contributed nothing to the plot/story. Patricia’s ear getting ripped off not even two chapters in. Slick being raped and dying as a result. Bennet abusing Grace (but only when he drinks). If these things were added to emphasize that their lives are not as perfect as we believe, there are so many ways to achieve that without having them deal with such levels of violence when it does not progress the story. And Patricia being slightly aroused when facing James in an attempt to spare her daughter? It just doesn’t seem realistic. Which is ironic for a book trying to root itself in “realism” with its’ stereotypes.

As a young Black woman, I simply did not enjoy this book. It’s not terrible, but it’s not the groundbreaking book that reviews and booktok claim it to be. The horror element was there, as there were parts that made me squirm and put the book down for a breather. But those… four paragraphs sprinkled throughout the book cannot make up for the poor attempt of social commentary on race, class, and sex in the deep south in the 90s. Many times I thought of dnf-ing this book, but I persevered. I’m just not sure if it was worth it. One thing I am sure of is that I regret spending my money on buying this book. If anything, at least get it from the library. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Vomit

snowforest's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Xenophobia

emma1023's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Murder, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Violence

rhiannonxgrace's review

dark funny tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal death and Alcohol