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disguisedposer's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Mental illness, Body horror, Gore, Blood, Death, Medical content, Torture, and Violence
milly_gm01's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Body horror, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
cosmicpanda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Slavery, Police brutality, and Torture
Moderate: Murder and Medical content
mj452's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Blood, Death, Gore, Suicide, Vomit, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Misogyny, Alcohol, and Sexual content
kathrynok'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
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gore, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Torture, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Violence
librarymouse's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Ruth Anne's snoopy😭. Twice, when he came up, first in Amy's thoughts right after Ruth Anne succumbing to the pennetants, and again at Ruth Anne's memorial, I nearly cried. Grady Hendrix has a neat trick of characterizing his characters with little, branded quirks, like Ruth Anne's religious attachment to Blistex and Amy specifically stopping at the Speedway for coffee that somewhat break the suspension disbelief while making them a bit more interesting. Ruth Anne's Snoopy waiting for her on the couch at a home she'll never return to takes that almost comical brand name dropping and turns it on it's head. Making the thought of a mass produced toy waiting for it's loving owner to return home such a deeply gut wrenching thing in the slog of gore and terror in this book makes upsetting and gorgeous space for grief. Ruth Anne gouging out her own eyes to avoid seeing the things that terrified her, with the childlike belief that if she can't see them, they can't see her is equally upsetting.
Matt and Trinity are interesting characters, but they don't get as much space in the book to be known. The focus is on Amy, Basil, and Ruth Anne. Ruth Anne does a great job personalizing Basil to Amy, beyond the archetype of ineffective middle manager. He believes in her as a person. It just takes a while for the two of them to understand each other.
This book really takes the concept of the real evil being capitalism to the furthest degree possible beg it would fall into a spoof/satire category. Orsk is a corporate, bureaucratic nightmare.
The gradual shifting of the images from possible furniture pieces to torture equipment is honestly funny. I like how each item is showcased in the chapter. In some scenes, this book reads a bit like a fanfiction, which isn't a bad thing. It provides much needed moments of levity.
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Physical abuse, Body horror, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Self harm
mallory10100's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Confinement, Excrement, Grief, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Cursing, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide, Death, and Vomit
melliedm'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
Oh and the book design has to be mentioned. Styled after an IKEA catalog and filled throughout with product designs like you would expect in a manual, as well as some other surprises, it absolutely adds to the campy delight of this book. Kudos to the designers!
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Confinement, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, Body horror, Blood, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Slavery and Sexual assault
Underwater/drowningrtthalia'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? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Blood and Body horror
Moderate: Violence, Torture, and Medical trauma
Minor: Death, Classism, Cursing, and Medical content
voilajean's review
3.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gore, Religious bigotry, Violence, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Classism and Antisemitism