Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

25 reviews

joonjxne's review

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, and Self harm

Moderate: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Incest, Stalking, and Violence

readingpicnic's review

3.75

I don't really know how I feel about this book...it has to marinate a bit more. I will say that these are some actually morally gray characters in very fucked up ways, which was fun sometimes. I think I got confused about what was happening at some points in the book, and I didn't really understand the ending, so I almost want to reread it... It did keep me guessing the whole book about what was going on, and most of my theories ended up being wrong lol. The lack of consent in this book was upsetting...I'm not sure if it was because the main characters are meant to be fucked up or if it's romanticizing the SA? Pretty fucked though. They are sooo toxic. I don't think I understood either of the main characters' motivations for the entirety of the book whic lended to my confusion. The atmosphere in this book was so incredibly well done: the oiliest, greasiest, grimiest gay book I've ever read. The body horror was also amazing, with disgusting lines like "curdled genitals" on a dead body. Also, why is Johann literally Addie LaRue? Reading this felt like reading a toxic gay anime fanfiction; like, this is what I imagine Noé and Vanitas fanfics are like from the anime The Case Study of Vanitas.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Torture

Moderate: Stalking

tinyjude's review against another edition

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Stalking, Child abuse, Sexual content, Death, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Gore, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Genocide, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Torture, Rape, Alcohol, Drug use, Self harm, and Grief

Minor: Incest

onemamareads's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-monster-of-elendhaven

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Stalking, Blood, Gore, Rape, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Murder, Death, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual violence

thescenery's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I had a hard time rating this book. 

It was fun, it had everything that I liked: gay people, gore and a bit of sadness. The first half got me obsessed and I wanted to devour the book in one sitting. The characters were fun put together, even if completely horrible to each other. 

However, I think I got more and more confused by the second half. Once I thought I finally understood it, the book ended. I knew from the start it would be an unsatisfying ending, and I was right (not that this is a bad thing), but it felt almost too underwhelming.. Almost.

I think I'm still trying to figure out what quite happened on its last chapter, and I'm not sure we are meant to. But I guess I'll have to think about it for a while. 

Read this for the Halloween Challenge, and it sure was a good start! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Excrement, Gore, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Genocide

zghutcheson01's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

4.0

Everyone in this book is a bad person but if you want a quick, queer fantasy/horror novella to listen to while you work, this is the one for you. Everyone in this is also a bitch (compliment) so it can be very fun until something either very sexual, very violent, or both happens and you're just sorta like "oh yeah I remember what I'm reading."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

Minor: Incest

blacksphinx's review against another edition

dark funny 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

2.0

When I looked up the author's name to see if she had written anything else, I was not surprised in the least to see she was one of the writers of the much-despised Homestuck Epilogues. I can feel the glimmer of Homestuck in the dialogue and humor, so take that as you will. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Murder, Violence, Self harm, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Medical content, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Child death

Minor: Stalking, Excrement, Genocide, Rape, and Incest

wichbich's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The first book from this author. It wasn't my favorite story ever, but I enjoyed many of the conventions that were played with and really liked the world building a lot. Would definitely pick up another book from this author, especially if it expands on this world more. The lore was definitely the best part though I did really enjoy the grimey romance element. The characters themselves didn't really have much of an arc but it's a very short book so it makes total sense. All in all I thought it was a fun, interesting read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Suicide, Child death, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Gore, Sexual violence, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Minor: Blood, Physical abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

thelittle_seokmin's review

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. ♡♡♡

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Death of parent, Gun violence, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Self harm, and Violence

Moderate: Stalking, Genocide, and Child death

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Excrement, Incest, Grief, Alcoholism, and Addiction

decaying's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

There is a craving when I flicked the last page of “The Monster of Elendhaven”. A desire to know more about the place that lies at the end of the world; to witness more of Johann’s murderous spree; to watch as Florian ensured his life’s work would meet its end. I was satiated, sure. But I wanted so much more from this book. This place is pulsing with death, corruption, rot—all possible wretchedness you could possibly think of. These characters are undeniably cunning, biting, and with monstrous desires of their own longing to be sated. 

Giesbrecht’s writing has such a grotesque yet somewhat elegant flair that elevated my senses. You can feel the density of Elendhaven’s air. You can almost taste the lingering scent of iron from the bloodiness of this book. You can feel yourself tingling from disgust. It is grimy. It is full of rot. It is corrupt. It is dense with death. 

That growing desire to know more ceases to end. Despite the book’s fascinating and dense with delicious horror, I believe there’s more to be said about the story and the characters. Although it isn’t necessarily fast-paced, I thought everything felt abrupt. And by the time we reached the end, it had simply… ended. I wanted more of them. I wanted to know more about the monsters that have their grip on Elendhaven. I wanted more of the convoluted dynamic between Johann and Florian and just as I was witnessing it grow, that was it.

I wanted to see more development with them as individuals. The book is primarily spent its time through Johann’s perspective, but even so, I felt very little development from him. It’d only been sprinkles of it here and there. From his lack of understanding about humanity, about himself, and how he grows some form of fondness towards Florian. But that was that: only sprinkles of them.

 

However, that’s just about the only issue I had with the book. Its only lack is its length. That it ended so quickly before I was even ready to bid my goodbyes to these characters. Before I could understand them on a deeper level. It feels like a story that could’ve gone a little longer than it did. Just stretching a little longer to allow the characters, the world, and its story to flourish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Incest