Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Maeve Fly by CJ Leede

38 reviews

belletree's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

mhh831666's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Chronic illness

gloomypanda's review

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, and Vomit

gia1303's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, and Stalking

eisenbuns's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, and Toxic friendship

autumnleafgirl's review

dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Release Date: June 6, 2023
Genre: Extreme Horror
Themes: Quarter life crisis, killer women, extreme gore, slasher, the entertainment biz

The titular Maeve Fly is a 27-year-old on the brink of her quarter-life crisis: Her coworker and best friend is on the edge of stardom, her kindred-spirit grandmother is dying, and someone is leaving strange dolls at Maeve's favorite haunts in Hollywood. In the days leading up to Halloween night, we watch as Maeve slowly - and then all at once - loses the tight grip that holds her life together and gives into the extreme violence that sleeps fitfully within her.

Here's the thing, though: Maeve might be depressed, disgusting, and deranged but she's also somehow, some way, kind of likeable. Her morbid investment in every little thing in her quickly collapsing world, from the wellbeing of her grandmother's cat to the theme park princess job she unironically loves, is tenderized by her snide humor and endless supply of Halloween music trivia. She's not detached or unemotional - if anything, her big feelings about everything seem to be the thing she hates about herself the most. And frankly, all of that just makes what she does to express those feelings even more squirm- inducing to read about.

While only around 250 pages, this novel still manages to pack a very greasy, gorey punch with Maeve's explicitly visceral descent into madness. Gross from beginning to end with a significant portion of the book essentially a montage of graphic violence, this book isn't for the faint of heart, the faint of stomach, or the early horror reader. Instead, it's perfect for readers who thought Mona Awad's "Bunny" or Ottessa Moshfegh's "Eileen" didn't go far enough and should have been set in the glam and grime of LA. Think long and hard, then wait two hours after eating before dipping your toe in this pool.

The verdict: As nauseated as I still am an hour after finishing up this book, there's an excellent chance that Maeve Fly will top my horror list at the end of the year. I know exactly the horror fiend friends I'll recommend it to, and for those looking to fill a hypersexual murderess-shaped hole in their shelf, Maeve Fly will honestly soar.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for sending an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicide, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Dysphoria, and Classism

rhadden's review

challenging dark funny tense 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

4.5

 I absolutely tore through this disturbing and brutal slasher novel that evokes American Psycho, Georges Batailles, halloween music and kids cartoons. Told from the point of view of Maeve, a Hollywood heiress and deranged murderer who portrays the extremely popular "Ice Princess" at the "Happiest Place on Earth," this excellent horror novel holds nothing back as her rampage through Tinseltown unfolds. Completely blood-soaked and upsetting throughout, but at times hilarious, touching, and even steamily romantic. Extremely high recommendation from me, but certainly check the content warnings on this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

herasrevenge88's review against another edition

dark slow-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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail