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unboxedjack's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Violence
questingnotcoasting's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is one of my favourite reads of the year so far. It combines so many elements that I enjoy: a story within a story, illustrations, footnotes, queer female characters, a enigmatic narrator and a map at the beginning. It's a really strange, imaginative book, with a lot of different ideas woven together but I thought it worked so well. I loved how it moved between the historical and contemporary storylines and I found it completely immersive. There were some brilliantly unsettling parts. I didn't imagine that wasps or apples could be so creepy. I'm not really a horror fan but I've discovered a few exceptions to that rule over the past few years, like Wilder Girls and Shirley Jackson's work and this reminded me of those books in parts.
It's over 600 pages and the first 200 are fairly slow but it built until I found it compulsively readable. I've seen mixed reviews, I think largely due to its length and meandering style but I was having such a good time I didn't want it to end. I borrowed the ebook from my library but I think I'll buy a copy in the future because I definitely want to re-read it one day.
It's over 600 pages and the first 200 are fairly slow but it built until I found it compulsively readable. I've seen mixed reviews, I think largely due to its length and meandering style but I was having such a good time I didn't want it to end. I borrowed the ebook from my library but I think I'll buy a copy in the future because I definitely want to re-read it one day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Death of parent
francesturpin's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror and Sexual assault
stillreadingat4am's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
katherinevarga's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
There were many things about this book I absolutely loved, including
-Hollywood & rich people on social media satire
-dark academia / queer girls at boarding school at turn of the century
-wordplay, footnotes, and illustrations
-a "Truly Devious" trilogy (jumping between past and present; quirky characters) meets "Dawson's Creek Halloween specials" (meta-awareness, clear love of horror movies) vibe
-examination of how social media / constant surveillance impacts our ability to distinguish reality from artifice; what it means "to be rather than to seem"
This was such a blast to read, although ultimately I'm not sure what to take away from it plot-wise. It's a great book to read for atmosphere and voice; less so if you want a clear narrative with a satisfying conclusion. Many lesbian characters die which gave me pause at first ("why am i reading about girls being attacked by yellowjackets during a pandemic and fascist insurrection?") but once I accepted that as part of the horror aesthetic I was able to enjoy this as spooky weird escapism.
-Hollywood & rich people on social media satire
-dark academia / queer girls at boarding school at turn of the century
-wordplay, footnotes, and illustrations
-a "Truly Devious" trilogy (jumping between past and present; quirky characters) meets "Dawson's Creek Halloween specials" (meta-awareness, clear love of horror movies) vibe
-examination of how social media / constant surveillance impacts our ability to distinguish reality from artifice; what it means "to be rather than to seem"
This was such a blast to read, although ultimately I'm not sure what to take away from it plot-wise. It's a great book to read for atmosphere and voice; less so if you want a clear narrative with a satisfying conclusion. Many lesbian characters die which gave me pause at first ("why am i reading about girls being attacked by yellowjackets during a pandemic and fascist insurrection?") but once I accepted that as part of the horror aesthetic I was able to enjoy this as spooky weird escapism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Sexual assault
ghostbird's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Grief
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
emsim's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, and Dementia
glitzersmilla's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, and Homophobia
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Violence, and Grief
whatellisreadnext's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"๐๐ฐ๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ง๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ๐ง ๐ณ๐ฆ๐จ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด. ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ'๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฐ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ถ๐ฏ๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ."
In 1902, Flo and Clara are found dead in the woods on the grounds of Brookhants School for Girls. Over a century later, a film crew have arrived to the tell the story of the curse surrounding Brookhants, but what if the narrative is still being written?
Plain Bad Heroines is gross and scary and so very queer. I was living for it ๐ I have never read a book like this one before, the imagination that Danforth has to create a story this rich, is just astounding. The book is written in 3rd person, with a narrator that is always breaking the fourth wall and addressing the reader directly. I loved this about the writing, it felt like a story just for me.
I mentioned this book is gross. I'm talking dead wasps in your mouth gross๐คข Although, the story was pretty slow in pace, and coming it at 619 pages, I'm not surprised. Saying that, all of the narrative felt like it had a purpose, and the slowness of the writing, in my eyes, built the tension so that the creepy and the gross parts hit even harder.
I became so attached to the three main characters, Harper, Merritt and Audrey. Yes, they all had their flaws, but I was rooting them, as they protected each other and grew together. This book wasn't the dark academia I had been craving, but it did have a love triangle, so that's a win in my eyes๐๐ปโโ๏ธ The lesbian and bisexual representation in Plain Bad Heroines is incredible. There are atleast three F/F relationships focused on in the narrative, all set in different timelines.
I recommend that you go into this one knowing that you have the time to dedicate to it. And if this review didn't quite sell you on it, just know that there are illustrations dotted throughout. I loved this, it added that little extra to the narrative.
Thanks so much to Borough Press for the gifted copy. This is out in the UK on the 4th of February!
In 1902, Flo and Clara are found dead in the woods on the grounds of Brookhants School for Girls. Over a century later, a film crew have arrived to the tell the story of the curse surrounding Brookhants, but what if the narrative is still being written?
Plain Bad Heroines is gross and scary and so very queer. I was living for it ๐ I have never read a book like this one before, the imagination that Danforth has to create a story this rich, is just astounding. The book is written in 3rd person, with a narrator that is always breaking the fourth wall and addressing the reader directly. I loved this about the writing, it felt like a story just for me.
I mentioned this book is gross. I'm talking dead wasps in your mouth gross๐คข Although, the story was pretty slow in pace, and coming it at 619 pages, I'm not surprised. Saying that, all of the narrative felt like it had a purpose, and the slowness of the writing, in my eyes, built the tension so that the creepy and the gross parts hit even harder.
I became so attached to the three main characters, Harper, Merritt and Audrey. Yes, they all had their flaws, but I was rooting them, as they protected each other and grew together. This book wasn't the dark academia I had been craving, but it did have a love triangle, so that's a win in my eyes๐๐ปโโ๏ธ The lesbian and bisexual representation in Plain Bad Heroines is incredible. There are atleast three F/F relationships focused on in the narrative, all set in different timelines.
I recommend that you go into this one knowing that you have the time to dedicate to it. And if this review didn't quite sell you on it, just know that there are illustrations dotted throughout. I loved this, it added that little extra to the narrative.
Thanks so much to Borough Press for the gifted copy. This is out in the UK on the 4th of February!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Grief
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Thanks to William Morrow Books for the free advance copy of this book.
In 1902 at the Brookhants School for Girls, a group of young women become obsessed with the published journals of Mary MacLane, a scandalous book in which she confesses to sapphic tendencies, and where the girls see themselves reflected. After creating the Plain Bad Heroine Society, though, two of them die a horrific death on school grounds - the first in a series of terrible deaths. A century later, a famed horror film director is making a movie about the story, starring the hottest it girl celesbian. But the curse of Brookhants seems to be following them now...or is it?
Whew, PLAIN BAD HEROINES is hard to sum up - it's a series of nested stories that all feed on each other, with recurring imagery and old bloodlines and perpetual questions about what is real and what is staged. And I loved it.
It's one of those rare books where I'm equally invested in each set of characters, and there are several sets of women we follow in this book. Some scenes had my skin crawling, others had me laughing and reading passages out loud to my partner. And on top of all that, it's queer, so queer! Generations of women loving women and they all felt real to me. Don't let the fact that this book is 600+ pages deter you - sinking into the world of Brookhants was a fully engulfing experience and I didn't want it to be over.
Content warnings: homophobia, death, murder, wasps, sexual assault, institutionalization.
In 1902 at the Brookhants School for Girls, a group of young women become obsessed with the published journals of Mary MacLane, a scandalous book in which she confesses to sapphic tendencies, and where the girls see themselves reflected. After creating the Plain Bad Heroine Society, though, two of them die a horrific death on school grounds - the first in a series of terrible deaths. A century later, a famed horror film director is making a movie about the story, starring the hottest it girl celesbian. But the curse of Brookhants seems to be following them now...or is it?
Whew, PLAIN BAD HEROINES is hard to sum up - it's a series of nested stories that all feed on each other, with recurring imagery and old bloodlines and perpetual questions about what is real and what is staged. And I loved it.
It's one of those rare books where I'm equally invested in each set of characters, and there are several sets of women we follow in this book. Some scenes had my skin crawling, others had me laughing and reading passages out loud to my partner. And on top of all that, it's queer, so queer! Generations of women loving women and they all felt real to me. Don't let the fact that this book is 600+ pages deter you - sinking into the world of Brookhants was a fully engulfing experience and I didn't want it to be over.
Content warnings: homophobia, death, murder, wasps, sexual assault, institutionalization.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization
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