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bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Body horror, Transphobia, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
smcaleerforte's review against another edition
I have no idea what to rate this… 🫣
chronikle's review against another edition
2.0
Extreme horror is not really my thing as a reader. That said, I saw this on a bookshelf in a store, and it immediately gave me brain worms about it until I went back and bought it the other day. Won't be rereading it or recommending it to anyone else (because my friends are also not really extreme horror readers), but I do think Rumfitt's focus on contemporary Britain and the rise of fascism (in its myriad forms, but particularly TERFism) is really interesting as a concept, both here and in her earlier work, Tell Me I'm Worthless.
I do kind of wish the brainwyrms had been more prominent earlier in the book, however. I feel like it took a long time to get to where we were going, and then it kind of just ran face-first into a wall and left me feeling a little like Oh. Was that it? That said, the ending reminds me a lot of both Brian Yuzna's Society and Frank Herbert's Dune combined into a horrible baby, so I didn't hate it.
If you are gonna check it out--Rumfitt helpfully supplies content warnings at the start of the book, and I would strongly advise you heed those warnings.
saturn_rage's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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
mystifiedbulb22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Pure insanity shoved into a book. It doesn't always nail the political beats it's trying to hit, but it is enjoyable and disgusting in equal measure.
arlenren's review against another edition
- 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
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
ejkimberley's review against another edition
4.0
In particular, abusive sexual behaviour is a nearly constant factor, in this book. And fetishistic language and activity which many will find unpleasant is effectively its central focus.
I think I have a relatively strong stomach, when it comes to this stuff. And that's why Brainwyrms gets 4 out of 5 stars, in my case. But even I found myself wishing certain scenes and passages would just come to an end much sooner than they did.
Personally, I would have wished for a little more exploration of the science fiction premises and implications behind the "wyrms" themselves. But there is some treatment of that.
All in all, an intentionally and thoughtfully disgusting look at terrible people doing terrible things for largely terrible reasons, in which redemption cannot be reasonably hoped for.
boxofcats's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.5