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gia0203'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
4.75
The same themes pervade both books: being transgender in Britain, and how it links sexuality and trauma. Rumfitt writes about how it feels like we’re going backwards. She touches again and again on how extremist ideas spread. Interestingly in this novel, the internet is also a major theme, for example the fetish community. She pulls at the tension between fetish communities as a bit of fun, a sanctuary and as a coping mechanism.
This book is at times very satirical. I really enjoyed that. It isn’t scared to expose the underbelly of hypocrisy in modern politics. There’s a passage in this book that says everything is about sex, and people just like to pretend that it isn’t. This book is daring when Britain at the moment is leaning towards conservatism and tradition.
In this book, the worms are the metaphor for extremism, similar to the haunted house in Tell Me I’m Worthless. But Rumfitt’s books can’t really be defined as just one thing. She juggles many metaphorical plates at once. I criticised Tell Me I’m Worthless for it’s lack of clarity, and I don’t hold the same criticism for this book. In many ways it’s a stronger novel. Rumfitt is growing really well as an author.
Subjectively however, I think the difference between them is that Tell Me I’m Worthless was more emotional, more zoomed in on the two people at the heart of it, whereas Brainwyrms takes a broader perspective. I prefer Tell Me I’m Worthless on a personal level, but Brainwyrms is the better book.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
Minor: Ableism, Deadnaming, Eating disorder, Infertility, Rape, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
Terrorism/Bombingahliahreads's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Incest, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Excrement
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lovelylilelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
iheartm4m's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
lifeinpoetry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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: Body horror, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Hate crime, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Fatphobia, Incest, and Pedophilia
Minor: Ableism and Deadnaming
owlribbon's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
slinkmalink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Overall it was interesting and I'm glad I read it even if it's very not like anything I usually read but it doesn't fill you with hope for the future of society
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Excrement, and Vomit
Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, and Transphobia
discarded_dust_jacket's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Incest
Minor: Ableism, Deadnaming, Suicide, and Death of parent
ellisdex's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Genocide, Infertility, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
brandongordon'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? It's complicated
5.0
The story revolves around Frankie, a survivor of a transphobic terrorist attack, and her enigmatic and submissive lover, Vanya, who harbors a peculiar fascination with parasites. As their relationship unfolds, so does the web of secrets and conspiracies that threaten to tear them apart. What starts as a seemingly unconventional love story evolves into a chilling exploration of how misunderstandings, shame, and trauma can infiltrate queer relationships, even within a niche fetish community.
Alison Rumfitt, known for her debut novel "Tell Me I’m Worthless," once again proves herself as a powerful voice in transgressive queer horror. While her previous work held a cracked mirror to the rise of fascism and transphobia, "Brainwyrms" takes a different approach. It's filled with wit, humor, and a dose of absurdity, as the antagonists in the story resemble cartoon villains. However, beneath the surface, the novel tackles serious issues with a ferocity that is impossible to ignore.
What sets "Brainwyrms" apart is its ability to provoke visceral reactions. While "Tell Me I’m Worthless" was genuinely terrifying, this book delves into the realms of disgust and discomfort, challenging readers to confront their own limits. Rumfitt's prose is frenetic, daring you to put the book down and walk away, but at the same time, it keeps you hooked.
In conclusion, "Brainwyrms" is a shocking, grotesque, and downright filthy journey into the depths of love, pain, and identity. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those willing to venture into the darker corners of literature, Alison Rumfitt's latest offering is a daring and thought-provoking read that lingers in your mind long after you've turned the final page.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for generously providing me with a digital ARC of "Brainwyrms" by Alison Rumfitt to read and review prior to the release date on 10/10/2023.
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Child abuse