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Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
257 reviews
sar_she_her's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
~ Entertaining at x1.2 speed.
- Fyi LOTS of gore and Trigger Warnings for many themes. In addition to numerous ones cited below, also creepy/crawly/gross out factor. (Albeit, worst gore is mostly in isolated parts of book: earlier in book as impetus for some call to action, and 1/2-2/3 through book with family endangerment, and 3/4-end with more of the same.)
+ I used to have to skip any books narrated by the much celebrated Bahni Turpin bc her performances of immature, catty, or complaining/whiny characters was too grating. But her array of performances for this book's variety of personalities and ages really impressed me and even converted me as a new fan. impressive performance!
~ While surely part of the author's intentional commentary, his representation of the male partners and how dismissive, condescending, and unaware they were was enraging. His tipping of the scales, whether feeling odds were against certain characters, or the resolution of certain conflicts, felt too steep and stacked, left unfinished or too tidily wrapped up. I wish these scenarios or interpersonal conflicts were more mixed and balanced.
~ Similarly, for better or worse, predictable. which can be helpful with scary horror, depends on readers' preferences.
+ That said I REALLY enjoyed the main protagonist, appreciated the representation of different aged women and black women, and glaring commentary around racism and classism and their effects.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Dementia, and Classism
Minor: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
torismazarine'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
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
cyndi1966's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Animal death
ariana3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Plot summary:
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
competitive_reading_is_a_sport's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, and Classism
dynila's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Violence
Minor: Domestic abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
andreanneveillette's review against another edition
1.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
wheelyautistic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I'm afraid I have to disagree with most of the negative reviews regarding the 3-year skip, where the main character is complacent. Many reviewers viewed it us difficult and unrealistic or annoying however they fail to realise that this book whilst it does have a vampire and the supernatural elements is far more about a serial killer and a murderer then a high energy vampire slashing book. It feels realistic that no one would believe her or that she would become complacent and subdued because in reality any outburst could land her straight into an institute given the timing. The race aspects were necessary to indicate and portray a very real and common thing seen in real-life killers: that those deemed as less than are usually the ones killed and often their murders are overlooked. I think this book perfectly paralleled the real lids true crime books the characters read with a hind of supernatural influence to increase the severity and difficulty of the situation.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism
josalinreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There’s commentary in the novel regarding sexism, classism, and racism, all of which is handled with different levels of nuance and care, but overall I think Hendrix does a good job. Lots of disturbing scenes, so I recommend looking at the content warnings if you are prone to triggers.
The final vampire scene was pretty lackluster compared to earlier scenes in the book and the vampires powers are not very consistent. I also would have preferred more comeuppance for some of the antagonists of the novel. More bloodshed would have made for a better vampire novel, in my opinion.
Overall, true 4/5 for me.
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicide, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Death of parent
brysonsmommie84's review against another edition
- 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
I just feel sick. This book makes me so angry…
Husbands telling wives:
“The girls have something to say”
“shake hands like a fucking adult”
being forced to apologize… these are your wives… educated wives… the children are also treated like this. Carter is the worst character of all time! Worse than the “vampire”.
Patricia is concerned about child molestation and you are all fucking protecting the stranger, because he has money and penis. Fuck these characters. Fuck this book. Fuck this author. They better all be under a fucking spell.
BTW child molestation big trigger! Lots of child rape… by an old dirty “vampire”. Too detailed. Children dying/suicides. Kids killing dogs, because they have been “left under a spell”. More Rape, burning people alive… At least the racism and “classism” were finally called out, I guess…
I will never give this author another try. The other authors that take flak for the misogyny and patriarchy in their books is bullshit in comparison and this author is being praised for this book. Fuck that shit.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism