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laurenkimoto's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
This dystopian/horror is the first one I have really enjoyed in a long time.
I will be thinking about this book until the apocalypse comes
Very minor spoiler: JKR gets her comeuppance.
Graphic: Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Outing, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
emmague89's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lycheejelly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Excrement, Abortion, and Pregnancy
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Antisemitism
dracovulpini's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Cannibalism, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Deadnaming, Infertility, Pedophilia, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and War
ecn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Almost every character was white and it FELT like it. However, it feels realistic for white people to stick together and but think of others in a post-apocalyptic world. I did have a lot of issues though with the two non-white characters essentially not being developed and only used by the main characters. Sure they grow together but ugh.
The entire book could have been condensed but the ending came way too quickly. The pacing felt off and made it hard to read, especially with every few paragraphs/pages switching off to another character. at times it felt dizzying trying to understand who was who for a bit.
Overall, I enjoyed the book for what it was but think I would have enjoyed it more as a movie.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
rosesofthespring'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
1.0
I cannot overstate the disappointment.
There are moments of shining brilliance in this novel. Gretchen Felker-Martin can write incredible scenes when she's empathizing with the characters and not working out some kind of miserable grudge. The worldbuilding is absurdly bioessentialist, something which I was terrified of when I heard the premise, but I remained hopeful that she'd avoid the pitfalls. She does not. There's no room in this world for nuance, for the reality of the hormone spectrum, or for any amount of kindness or nostalgia. When the author attempts to engage with controversial real-world issues, it falls flat, coming across as two-dimensional.
This book is effectively a longform fiction version of the author's favorite online conspiracy theories. But I suppose that's redundant. I can see how this might seem fresh and edgy to anyone who hasn't been mired in online trans subcultures, but to someone who knows where the lens originates, it seems tired and bitter. Sometimes that's a basis for a solid book. I wish this was one of those times. This one goes out to the truscum and transmedicalists, the bioessentialists who believe gender is stored in the hormones, radical "feminists" who believe the genders are "oppressor vs oppressed," and the members of sad little forums who are stalwartly barricading themselves in the darkness of their worst days. I hope it gives them what they're looking for.
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Death of parent, and Alcohol
taratearex's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
The characters are all unlikeable and problematic, I generally have a hard time when characters aren't likeable, and I get that it can work in this end of the world desperate times, but in apocalypse books I'm always looking for some hope and someone to root for and I think the characters were just a bit too flat, underdeveloped or unlikeable to get me there. Which is fine, just not to my taste. And there are SO many characters that come in and out of scenes, new ones appear, I was not sure who I was supposed to remember or who was brand new many times.
I think the raw end-of-the-world, desperation and hopelessness is very strong in this, which gave it a mood, but wow was it depressing to read- because a lot of the politics are happening right now with anti trans reactionary laws, and politicians and billionaire authors spouting hateful anti trans rhetoric. If you pick this up, just know it's very heavy.
As a fan of horror I did appreciate just how gross this world is, violence and gore and gross out scenes galore, there is not much relief from these scenes, which makes it a quick read. Even with this sort of relentless action, it still just fell a bit flat for me. Sometimes the prose just left some descriptions and scenes confusing, sometimes things were underexplained and sometimes things were way overexplained.
Obviously, because this book is written by a trans woman the author is getting a lot of hate from anti trans people. There is a scene where it's mentioned how JKR dies in this apocalypse, because she's a famous TERF. The anti trans folks making it into anything bigger is just the same anti trans rhetoric that makes this book relevant.
CW: gore, violence, rape, death, gun violence, transphobia, suicidal thoughts, fatphobia, racism
Graphic: Body horror, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
milkybootscomix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Outing, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
kylajaynebooks's review
- 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 read like a movie - it was brutal, nasty, horrifying, real, depressing, funny, reflective, sarcastic and I loved it so much.
It has so much to say and really makes you question feminism and how it absolutely does not always include everyone. It explores gender identity, mental illness, toxic relationships, eugenics, sex work, genocide and dictatorships
Just wow this was a gory disgusting sexy masterpiece
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail