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kitsune_kae'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
2.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, Racism, and Stalking
Minor: Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Cursing
Trauma, childhood trauma,boundforinfinity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
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The main character, Jade, is a hard character to like. The assumption that you have to be "gothy" to like horror movies such as Saw, the $1 Billion dollar film franchise that's been running for almost two decades, was an annoying catch to the novel. Of course teenagers like horror movies - they need to prove their hard. (This is coming from one of said teenagers that never grew out of their gothy/horror phase).
.
The constant allusions to the famous slashers felt pretentious at times and I really struggled at times to read the book knowing that a good portion of the text could go over my head if I hadn't seen these other works.
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Onto the good however, I really did enjoy the story and the twist ending. I loved the references to the Native American culture, Stephen Graham Jones own signature no doubt. The layout of an extra credit project alongside the actual story itself was refreshing and a fun way to engage the reader with Jade.
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Death, Body horror, Grief, and Suicide attempt
badvision's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Murder, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Self harm, Alcoholism, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, Incest, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
meggs1005's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Self harm, Death, Animal death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Alcoholism, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Incest, and Pregnancy
beccam22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Suicide, and Mental illness
Moderate: Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, Body horror, Mass/school shootings, and Gore
eevee314's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Murder, Blood, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Vomit and Rape
libraryofdoe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
On one hand, I found Jade’s story excellent and riveting and genre-defiant yet so obviously reverent of all the slashers that came before it and so, so raw. I found parts of myself in Jade that I almost didn’t want to see. I really like Jones’ writing style and the way he approached the story.
On the other hand I really didn’t like the whodunnit
I may come back and change this rating on further thought, but for now 4 stars feels about right, if a lot lower than I anticipated 75% of the way in.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Bullying, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Hate crime, Incest, Medical content, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Ableism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Pregnancy, and Drug use
raesengele's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
This book had me hooked from page one. And while it's pretty character driven for a lot of it, there's enough of a mystery that I think it would keep those who aren't into that kind of stuff going. What I loved the most is that Jones managed to ride the line between character study and genre fiction so fascinatingly well and honestly, that's all I've been asking for lately.
Story: 🌟
The story goes exactly how you want it to, while also shoving you under the water so you can burst back out gasping for air and going "what the fuck just happened?!" There is not a single nugget of information presented that I can think of that isn't used to it's full potential by the end. It takes true talent to deliver that and clearly Jones has it. I envy you, good sir.
Character: 🌟
Jade took her machete and carved her way straight into my heart. What I loved the most is despite Jade's trauma, you never pity her and it's never played up for drama points. Yes, I want to hug her at times and tell her everything's alright, but I also believe that she can handle herself and doesn't need my sympathy to get through life. There were points where when other characters brought up her trauma and she rolled her eyes, I kind of felt it, too. Like, my nosey self wanted to know what happened, but I was also like there are more important things going on here, people! I kind of like this depiction of trauma. It's always there and always looming, but it's also periphery. It's not the nexus of Jade's every thought. And there is an argument in there that's it's entirely because of unhealthy coping mechanisms, but that's how mental health works. It's messy and it's hard. This is a discussion without being an after school special and I love it.
Writing Style: 🌟
Jones has such a captivating writing style. There are chapters in here that are upwards of 60 pages and they flew by without a second thought. You melt into Jade's head until you're no longer questioning the slasher in real life that she's laying out in front of you.
Descriptions: 🌟
If this isn't already in the works to be a movie, it needs to be. How Jones manages to simultaneously keep us in Jade's head while also delivering such cinematic writing is beyond me. Just 👏👏👏
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abandonment, Colonisation, and Racism
secanno'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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Murder, Violence, Gore, and Self harm
Moderate: Racism, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Child abuse
spacecadelliot's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Gore, Vomit, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Pedophilia, Police brutality, and Rape