Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

80 reviews

aliciawithoutkeys's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Cannibalism

kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

I actually liked this a lot by the end! The Magos section was nearly unbearable; her pov was so selfish and internal it bordered on unrealistic. Grief is one thing, but it seems she was an awful friend/loved one even before that, to the point that she wasn’t really believable. I nearly DNFed in her section, which is extremely rare for me. But I pushed through & once I got to Lena, Joseph, and M, things really started to flow well and I felt so much more investment in the characters. Uncle Luke <3

Extremely tragic, sometimes gory, but ultimately sort of healing

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Toxic friendship, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Gore

brinnavirginia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Body horror, Gore, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Blood, Torture, Chronic illness, Animal death, Child death, Sexual violence, Murder, Violence, and Death

Minor: Drug use

jkneebone's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

In Monstrilio, Magos cuts out part of her deceased son Santiago's lung and begins to feed it, hoping it will grow but not knowing into what. Eventually, she gets Monstrilio - a carnivorous, playful monster who lives on the patio of her Mexico City home - who later develops into something more human, at least on the surface. Told over four sections in four different perspectives - Magos, her best friend Lena, her husband Joseph, and M himself - Monstrilio plays with horror, family, grief, and what it means to be human, as each of the characters react to the loss of Santiago and the development of his semi-replacement.

I enjoyed Monstrilio. It wasn't as horror-forward as I anticipated it might be, which for me was a pro, although it was definitely gory. The writing style was simple and thoughtful, what I would call an economy of language. Although I don't always love that style, especially since it's become so prevalent in a certain type of novel, in this case I thought it worked well. I also thought the author's use of different perspectives for each section, and the time gaps between the various sections, was very effective.

The interpersonal dynamics of Monstrilio were quite interesting - I liked watching what each of the characters were willing to do for another character, or for Monstrilio, based on their care for him or their past love for Santiago.

Most notably, in M's section, the way Magos, Joseph, and Lena immediately jump into crime scene clean-up mode after finding out that M ate Sam.

I think there is a lot to be said here about the ways we will bend morality or put up with despicable behavior from those we love, and/or the way those actions can poison our relationships whether we want them to or not. And of course, through each characters' interactions with Monstrilio/M, we can also see the different ways people choose to deal with grief - from Magos stubbornly ignoring it, to Uncle Luke accepting M just as he is.

While I thought this was an interesting book, and I'm glad I stepped out of my normal zone to read it, I wasn't amazed or bowled over. It kept my attention, and I liked the interpersonal drama and the mythos of Monstrilio's creation etc., but it's not a book I would plan to reread. If you like books that are horror-adjacent or magical realism, or if you want to read a book about grief, this is one you'll want to pick up.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Violence

abril_chavez's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This books was captivating from beginning to end. The author’s depiction of grief is nothing short of raw. I was right there with each of the characters going through the motions. The horror components to this book do not cheapen or lessen the message conveyed, instead, those moments force you to look at grief straight in the eyes.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Gore, and Medical content

chasingpages1's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Chronic illness, Confinement, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Death of parent, Alcohol, Cannibalism, and Torture

coffeebean216's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Grief, Death, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

Moderate: Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Body horror

addythebookbat's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder, Child death, Cannibalism, Death, Blood, Sexual content, Gore, and Animal cruelty

tifftastic87's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Monstrilio is a tale of grief, told in four parts. The story starts with the death of a little boy and follows the family as they grieve. The first part follows Magos, who cuts a piece of her dead son away and uses it to grow a new boy. The next part follows Len, the best friend of the couple, then Joseph, the father, and lastly Monstrilio himself. 

Each of these characters is so unique, all dealing with their own issues outside of grief. Magos has a strained relationship with her mother, Lena suffers from severe insomnia and was abused by her own mother, Joseph has some pretty bad depression and Monstrilio, well he's just hungry. Like really hungry. 

Honestly, everyone in this book needed therapy. 

Currently I'm listening to Pet Sematary and this is kind of like, if Lewis could have brought Gage back but it all worked out. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Death, Gore, Grief, Animal death, Cannibalism, Murder, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Chronic illness, Medical content, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Sexual content

alylentz's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

I was really pulled in by the first section of this--the family dynamics and grief and the beginnings of the monster were fascinating to me. I do think I lost some interest as it went on because of the multiple POVs, because at times it felt like we were being held more at a distance depending on the character. But a super unique read!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Blood, and Gore