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octopus_smith'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
foolishyetdangerousbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, and Murder
mimosaeyes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I had high hopes when I read the blurb, and they have been met and surpassed. This is body horror-ific speculative fiction that obliquely yet so effectively probes themes like queerness and disability. It's written in first person from the alien's point of view, and when they talk about being stared at in public or struggling with stairs or being afraid of discovery, it reads strikingly like a closeted or disabled person trying to get around and live their life.
Until the alien goes and graphically kills one of their casual hookups. Those scenes are actually a lot of fun to read. The unique voice of the alien puts you on their side right from the outset (and the confiding tone culminates wonderfully in the ending). There is a sense of strong physicality and unique images in the narration, which is complemented well by the black-and-white illustrations and the weirdly spaced words when the alien is in its natural form. Kudos to the translator, whose note at the end about adapting orthographic differences from the Korean is enlightening and really shows her love for the project.
I'm so glad I picked up this book! It's right up my alley and will stay with me for a while.
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
scifi_rat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Excrement, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Blood and Cannibalism
applesodaperson's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Listened to on Libby.
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Hate crime
quirkykayleetam's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It is violent and sexual and strange, inviting you to listen to a people-eating alien tell you their most intimate thoughts and actions while hiding and surviving on planet earth.
The experience should be alienating--and sometimes it is. Sometimes you have to reckon with the fact that you're talking to someone with 3 legs and almost 30 genitals who is unapologetic about who they are. But I also found myself connecting so closely with the narrator. They embodied so much of my fear and anger as an invisibly disabled person trying to live in a world where my physical body will always hold me down.
The end of this novella is sudden. It made me think and think and rethink.
This book shows you the monstrous in yourself and how you have been a monster to others. If you can handle the content, this is one I highly recommend.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Blood, Grief, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: War
ra22ouille's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
shannanigans'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Excrement
kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wow! what can i say. such a fresh premise, the narrative voice was so refreshing, i don’t think I’ve ever read a book anything like this. if you have, PLEASE recommend! favorite book this year i think
unapologetically queer and making very interesting points about who this world is designed for both physically and in a more abstract sense. definitely graphic and gory but that takes a surprising backseat to the emotions of the main char. idk this book was just great and a lovely opener for Halloween month.
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Hate crime, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Excrement, and Injury/Injury detail
sisa_moyo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I listened to it as an audiobook and the narration by Nicky Ernes it truly spectacular, thoroughly enjoyed this.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Violence