Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

23 reviews

rodent_scribbles's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

A beautiful reflection of grief, human nature, and monstrosity.
This book made me feel the grief of each character deep in my bones.
The way Mexico City is portrayed speaks to my own experience growing up and it is truly lovely to see my hometown represented so lovingly.

And incredibly strong debut, I am excited to read whatever Gerardo Sámano Córdova writes next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Chronic illness

Minor: Alcohol, Medical content, and Homophobia

softanimal's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

5.0

This is my favorite kind of horror: heavily psychological, sparse & carefully chosen terror/gore/violence, a meandering burn, and a heart at its core that just fuckin body checks you. I also loved the characters, the settings, the distinctness of voice of each storyteller, and the uniqueness of the premise. Would highly recommend to similar horror lovers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, and Child death

Minor: Deadnaming

I added deadnaming as a trigger warning but I don't think it would be for most but the reason is

they call Monstrilio by the name of the dead child who's lung he came from which is not a name he sees as his own,

no gender component.

sabrinalexis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Gore, Cannibalism, Blood, Death, and Sexual content

thebearnest's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Death, Violence, Child death, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, and Physical abuse

anilourengo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny tense medium-paced

• 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

2.0

An innovative way to treat parenthood figures in different circunstances, such as supporting their child regardless the consequences and grief.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Medical content, Sexual content, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

viladesau's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Grief, Child death, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Chronic illness, and Body horror

kleinekita's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Death, Body horror, Animal death, and Blood

Minor: Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Excrement

emilywemily6's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• 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

4.75

Oooo this was good. My horror at Magos’ attempt to grow a piece of her dead son’s lung cannot be matched. The beginning of this book was so unhinged and I was yelling at the cast to get rid of Monstrilio before he ate them all. And yet I grew to love that little monster and found him cute with his arm tail. And I was horrified at myself for thinking he was cute!! This novel explores what it means to be human and what it means to be a monster and made me want to reread Frankenstein. I really felt for M and how he tried so hard to fit in and appear less monstrous. I appreciated that this bunch of misfit/unhinged family members tried to protect M even after some of the things he did. There were strong themes about trying to change others/trying to alter what we created when it doesn’t suit us (again, it makes me want to reread Frankenstein!). The horror of this story was really in M’s origin and the story became more meaningful towards the end. Honestly, I was hoping for more horror and for there to be a tipping point at the end, but as another reviewer wrote there was an emotionlessness to the gore/sex that made it less horror-ish than it could have been. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Child death, Medical content, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Death, Grief, Sexual violence, Animal death, Blood, Drug use, Gore, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Bullying and Alcohol

mitobites's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Death, Child death, Grief, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Body horror

Minor: Child abuse, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Alcohol, Confinement, and Physical abuse

booksthoughtsandtea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Violence, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Animal death, Chronic illness, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Confinement

The middle part drags a little. Once you are in the last quarter of the book, you will understand the purpose of it. Get tissues ready.