Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt

53 reviews

saturn_rage's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Fucking hell this stressed me out. I originally started it months ago, read about the first third, and took a prolonged indefinite break due to the anxiety it brewed in me. Anyhow, on returning I finished it in two days, so take that for what you will. 

The stream-of-consciousness that is much of this book works well for the characters and the subject matter, and also gives you a sense of the existential anxiety lacing the entire narrative, something that seeps into you the reader as well (at least for me). Anyhow, I did like this, though it comes with a whole load of content warnings and my stomach is pretty strong. It taps into some parts of me that I should explore more, and is very topical given the current climate I am struggling to exist in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Drug abuse, Excrement, Blood, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Gore, Self harm, Transphobia, Vomit, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Body shaming, and Child abuse

arlenren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Visceral, provocative, revolting. Don't make the mistake I did and start reading this on the train; you do NOT want anyone looking over your shoulder. Once I'd found a more suitable place to read it, I couldn't put it down. This book pulls no punches as it lays out the threat that trans people face in the UK today, unflinching in a portrayal that remains truthful even through a lens of conspiratorial fantasy. Like all the best horror novels, it has moments of comedy that provide respite from the crushing tension. I went into this book thinking it was going to make me feel sick yet surprisingly it didn't, in spite of how personal some of its triggers are for me. I guess there's something wrong with me?? Luckily, there's nothing wrong with this book. If you have a strong stomach and an open mind, this is a faultless read. Easiest five stars I've given in a long time. (Please do check the trigger warnings though).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gore, Abortion, Alcohol, Animal death, Body shaming, Hate crime, Incest, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, and Drug use

mmmsnacks's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

2.0

You know I don’t think this one was for me 🪱

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Kidnapping, Drug use, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Sexism, Death, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Body shaming, and Body horror

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Classism

iceperg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Bullying, Body shaming, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Deadnaming, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Rape, Gore, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Infertility, Excrement, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Mental illness, Hate crime, Fatphobia, Dysphoria, and Drug use

vincentvanhough's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

loved the book until the last chapter

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Incest, Rape, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Blood, Suicide, and Vomit

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, Deadnaming, and Self harm

ddryden825's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Hate crime, Child death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, Gore, Blood, Drug use, Excrement, Addiction, Body shaming, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Body horror

skogsheks's review against another edition

challenging dark tense

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Medical content, Body shaming, Homophobia, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Murder, Transphobia, Vomit, Dysphoria, Excrement, Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Gore, Hate crime, Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

rivergardner's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Transphobia, Eating disorder, Incest, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Homophobia, Hate crime, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Mental illness, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Death, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Minor: Addiction, Blood, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Child death, Deadnaming, Animal death, and Drug use

calcified_boner's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Deliciously gross, practically parasitic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Incest, Violence, Torture, Hate crime, and Transphobia

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Alcohol, Child death, Fatphobia, Addiction, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Ableism, Classism, and Abandonment

saccharinewoe's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

this was like if someone took that one blowfly girl story and used it as an allegory for the parasitic nature of transphobia and bigotry. interesting piece of transgressive fiction that made me feel genuinely sick and disturbed - i did have to take a break when the author suggested for it in the middle of the book lol. i literally have no idea what the ending is supposed to mean though, i feel like i hallucinated it. but like the writing was phenomenal and easy to follow until the last bit. i genuinely would not be able to recommend this to anyone unless i knew they were able to handle it in all its grossness and horrific imagery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Incest, Violence, Body horror, Hate crime, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Drug use, Murder, Ableism, Dysphoria, and Sexual assault