3.79 AVERAGE

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

this was SO good but it works as a standalone so idk if i'll actually read the series

Cool premise. Good writing. Bit repetitive if read all at once.

Weird and mesmerizing.

Lifeblood escapes all the time, minor haemorrhages, a little a day. Maybe that is how we age. Maybe that is how we die.

I'm glad I went into this one completely blind. I just read the blurb, and while I don't think it gives too much away, it was really creepy and fun having no idea what was happening in the beginning of this weird little novella. The writing is searing and sharp, just as descriptive as it needs to be and not a jot more, but still lovely. Thompson has created an extremely memorable protagonist in Molly; brilliant, dry, efficient, a survivor. I kinda wish this book had zigged instead of zagged, and I was waiting for it to get weird in a completely different way. Also, this is totally a me thing, but when we finally got some answers, they happened to tie into themes that I, personally, am always incredibly bored by.

Still. Really terrific. My first by this author; definitely not my last.

Content warnings:
Spoilerlots of murders, blood, gore, dismemberments, grossness, self harm

Merged review:

Lifeblood escapes all the time, minor haemorrhages, a little a day. Maybe that is how we age. Maybe that is how we die.

I'm glad I went into this one completely blind. I just read the blurb, and while I don't think it gives too much away, it was really creepy and fun having no idea what was happening in the beginning of this weird little novella. The writing is searing and sharp, just as descriptive as it needs to be and not a jot more, but still lovely. Thompson has created an extremely memorable protagonist in Molly; brilliant, dry, efficient, a survivor. I kinda wish this book had zigged instead of zagged, and I was waiting for it to get weird in a completely different way. Also, this is totally a me thing, but when we finally got some answers, they happened to tie into themes that I, personally, am always incredibly bored by.

Still. Really terrific. My first by this author; definitely not my last.

Content warnings:
Spoilerlots of murders, blood, gore, dismemberments, grossness, self harm

If you see a girl who looks like you, run and fight. Don’t bleed. If you bleed, blot, burn, and bleach. If you find a hole, find your parents.

Imagine that, as you read this, you get a nosebleed. How do you feel?

Probably a bit annoyed, right? Maybe coupled with a little latent embarrassment from those times you got one at school. No doubt there's a little acorn of anxiety deep down about it (what if it's a harbinger of something worse?) especially if you're not used to getting them anymore.

Now imagine that, as a result of this nosebleed, a murderous doppelgänger has just been birthed and it's on its way to kill you.

How do you feel now?! Terrified? Baffled? Terribaffled?!

Well, for Molly Southbourne, this is her daily reality- that a drop of her blood spawns a vicious duplicate of her- and in this taut and unputdownable horror novella, you will feel all of that dread and confusion and then some. Thompson's slim read is an immensely creepy affair, one that speaks to an unnamable body horror about our own identities and self-perceived uniqueness. There are allegories about parenthood, adolescence, simulacra and the multitudinous self. Beyond any literary analysis though, this is just a malevolently gruesome and unsettling story. The multiple scenes where Molly wakes up to see a molly staring at her from across her bedroom are some of the most effective horror I've read in years and I read the whole thing in just two brief sittings.

Thompson's prose is blunt and forceful, full of ambiguous spaces where reader's thoughts and interpretations can echo. It is a bizarre, brutal but brilliantly compelling short read.

Just hope you don't get a nosebleed after reading it....

Very unique plot and interesting execution. I thought Molly was a fascinating character and I loved her relationship with her parents.

This is amazing.

The character study of Molly is incredible, while having such an enveloping plot. I loved the family dynamic and it reminded me a little of Sue Rainsford’s FOLLOW ME TO GROUND. The writing was absolutely beautiful and I can’t wait to read the sequel.

This was a really addicting, creepy read. I loved the premise and the way it was told, but the way it all comes together didn’t feel cohesive enough to be satisfying.
dark fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated