Reviews with content warning for Drug use - The Monster of Elendhaven

Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

8 reviews

joonjxne's review

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

Content Warnings

jems_'s review

Go to review page

3.5

An interesting concept and atmosphere, though the execution felt just a little off.

I do love dark sceneries and myths which I think this book did perfectly. It had a dark and gritty atmosphere, one you wouldn’t want to be in yourself. A glum industrial town would not be the place I‘d like to spend any amount of time in. Such is Elendhaven.
I also liked the myths in this book and the tad bit of the supernatural making them real.

The characters however felt a bit inconsequential at some points. With how I imagined them, some of the things they did and said felt somewhat out of character.

I would’ve also liked for the book to be a bit longer to explore the characters, especially the „monster-ization“ a bit longer and maybe over the course of that the author could’ve slowly introduced this behavior that seemed odd to me now and make it more believable.

Also beware of the trigger warnings if you read this!

One other thing: As a German reading this, it was funny because it uses some German terms. I mean „Elend“ alone is German and roughly translates to „misery“ which makes sense for the town.

Content Warnings

tinyjude's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

From the get go I fell in love with the atmosphere the author transports us into. The gothic vibes, the gorey and unhinged characters, the gruesome and fatally flawed (aka toxic) situations situasionship these two has going on. It reminded me of Bloodborne or Dishonored in some aspects, either by the vibes and monstruousity in it all, or the revenge at all costs plotline. I loved the writing too, hollow and haunting, full of imagery that surely clicks much better on a second read. The descriptions of the characters and the mythical aspect of the city, with us as spectators rooted in the city yet still watching everything unfold from a deep mist that clouds our perceptions in the same way the sorcerer manipulates everyone here. The idea of a master-monster also reminded me a lot of Frankenstein, although both stories differ in a lot of aspects. Nonetheless, I believe it's a gritty novella perfect for when you are in the mood to read dark, gory, stuff like for Halloween, and be left wondering about the world a little bit (a sense of acrid lingering that follows you around like the shadow of Elendhaven.

Content Warnings

the_bookish_witch's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

thelittle_seokmin's review

Go to review page

dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I had a lot of fun with this!! Love a dark atmosphere and Giesbrecht does s0 damn well delivering this. Obsessed with the writing!! ☆▪︎☆ (chapter one could've been a short story in of itself o0Ooo0 it's so good~)

I just could've done with more from it? Like i even more depth to the characters, even more explaination of what Florian's goal was. And I need closure in an ending which this didn't really give. It is a bit rushed and a bit too vague. Add a hundred or more pages for more greatness and this probably would've ended up as a fave. ♡♡♡

Content Warnings