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emilywemily6's review against another edition
- 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
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
athompson0429's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Violence and Gore
pipettesandpages's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Gore
mitobites's review against another edition
- 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
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
lindsaysymes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child death, and Body horror
Moderate: Violence
isabelromero's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Murder, and Blood
rorikae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The story switches between perspectives surrounding a family who has lost their son, Santiago. Beginning with a section from Magos, Santiago's mother, the novel follows how Magos takes a piece of Santiago's lung and what it becomes. This small piece of her son begins to grow, transforming into a creature that the family calls Monstrilio or M. Through following sections from a family friend (Lena) and from Joeseph (Santiago's father), Monstrilio's growth and his effect on the family is explored.
Gerardo Sámano Córdova weaves a deeply emotional story about the loss of a child and the effect on the child's parents. His writing is beautiful and evocative. Grief can consume, bring about violence, obsession, and more, which Gerardo Sámano Córdova deftly explores through the character of Monstrilio. All of the characters in this story are deeply flawed and extremely human. Their mistakes are easy to understand in light of their grief. I also appreciated the casual queerness of the characters and the story as a whole. I cannot wait to see what Gerardo Sámano Córdova writes next as this is a profoundly moving story that uses a fantastical aspect to explore the longstanding effects of grief.
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Grief, Cannibalism, and Blood
Moderate: Child death
thegayestghost's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Violence, Gore, Blood, Animal death, Death, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
booksthoughtsandtea's review against another edition
- 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
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.another_dahlia's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Grief, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror and Sexual assault