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vixenreader'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death, Gore, Body horror, Blood, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Bullying, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Medical content
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Fatphobia, Confinement, Physical abuse, Vomit, Drug use, Animal cruelty, and Classism
Minor: Xenophobia, Abortion, Racism, Stalking, and Rape
Be aware that there is a death of a grandparent, bodies in cellars, bones used for decorations, risky kinks and fetishes, urine, unwanted items shoved into unwilling orifices, hunger for fame, “the casting couch,” doll disfigurement, pornography, and drugging beverages for the goal of assaulting someone.emelynreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My stomach is feeling pretty weak after reading through/imagining some of the horror scenes. I'm not a fan of smut so that affected my rating. I didn't mind the numerous homages to other horror classics as some other reviewers have pointed out. I was bothered by the sky being described as 'bruised' every time it's mentioned. I enjoyed the "dark passenger" inner monologues and the character interactions and motivations felt to me like the show Dexter.
Bonus points for the author creating Spotify playlists from the songs mentioned.
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Body horror, Gore, Rape, Violence, and Sexual violence
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
fangirljeanne's review against another edition
- 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
This is a great horror novel, beautifully grotesque and emotionally raw to an uncomfortable degree. It’s very much more lit fic than in tone and execution than horror or splatter punk, though it absolutely holds its own in both genres. The experience of being a woman, especially one who doesn’t fit the unattainable hypocrisy of socially acceptable feminine ideals, is a horrific mind-bending experience.
Maeve is not unique in her weird or messiness, take out the overt violence and this would be like many other women’s lit narrative about the trauma of living under patriarchy. But here, in the framing of a horror novel this narrative feels more authentic, more autonomous compared to the passive victimhood of a lot of white women’s navel gazing fiction, at least until the end. Maeve felt like she was going to give the cliche narrative of the weird girl, the creepy girl, the femme fatale a newer better ending. One where she embraces that aspects of herself that fear of society tells her to suppress and hate. While she escapes the typical fate of “fallen women” of literature, she is still punished for refusing to conform to society. That’s the only aspect of the story I disliked. It felt like a step back after so many subversive strides forward.
I get it, this is a horror novel. Heartbreak is an important aspect of that genre. But I would also argue that few things are quite as frightening to patriarchy as a villainous woman getting everything she wants including love and acceptance.
Highly recommended to fans of graphic horror and dark humor. If you love the movie May (2002) this book might be for you too.
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Self harm, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcohol, Body shaming, Grief, Torture, Animal death, Bullying, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Medical content, Sexual assault, Classism, Ableism, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Stalking, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Drug use, Excrement, Rape, Animal cruelty, Body horror, and Chronic illness
shelilton's review
1.0
Graphic: Cursing, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, Violence, Blood, Death, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Vomit, Body horror, Cannibalism, Excrement, Gore, and Torture
lhatcher's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Sexual content, and Cannibalism
danscoada's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have not seen or read American Psycho, but I know enough about it and the character of Patrick Bateman to recognize the similarities between Bateman and Maeve. For one thing, Grady Hendrix mentions it on the cover's blurb, but Maeve goes through a critical change after seeing the book on her shelf. I have seen others say it's not as graphic as American Psycho, but I cannot speak to that.
Maeve mentions a few times the unfairness that men in horror are able to be killers for no reason while women always need some sort of trauma to justify their actions. We can only speculate on the presence of trauma in Maeve's past because we get absolutely no back story for her outside of a few flashbacks with her grandmother. Some may be frustrated with this, but I loved how it served to further Maeve's point. We don't know what's gone on in her life to bring her to this point, but that's not what this book is about. We're expected to buckle in and go for the ride, which I was absolutely willing to do.
For a former employee of the world's largest theme park, I couldn't help but notice some inaccuracies between the real world D*sney theme parks and the one presented in the books. I don't know if these inaccuracies are present to avoid potential legal disputes or if Leede genuinely did not know otherwise. Usually these inaccuracies would bother me, but I had no problem suspending my disbelief for this one.
This was a strong debut from CJ Leede and I cannot wait to see what's next.
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Vomit, and Animal death
Minor: Toxic relationship and Sexual assault
dirtynastyclimber'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Gore, Vomit, and Torture
gloomypanda's review
2.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Torture, Mental illness, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Murder, Violence, Cursing, Rape, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Self harm, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty, Vomit, and Drug use
eisenbuns's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Excrement, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Medical content, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Grief, Sexual content, Death, Drug use, Body horror, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, and Stalking
livlaughloathe's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cannibalism, Sexual violence, and Vomit