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booksthoughtsandtea's review
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
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.crystalannew's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Death, Blood, Animal death, Body horror, and Sexual violence
beanaroni's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
This may be coming from a part of my mind still processing Lou Sullivan's We Both Laughed in Pleasure, but Monstrilio feels so remarkably transmasc (and autistic!) to me. I'm utterly fascinated by Sámano Córdova's mind and how, whether he intended to, he has so succinctly managed to capture the insatiability that comes when you've tasted the truth of your being and the ache of diminishing yourself for those you love.
They are happy to believe I forgot how they maimed me.
They are happy to believe I forgot how they maimed me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Child death, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Gore, Cannibalism, Grief, Violence, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use
michaelion's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.75
I've never read a book where the characters are gay and it's not central to the plot and have that book be anything less than 4.5 stars. Gay for no reason! Gay people being people who also happen to be gay!
I'm clawing at reasons not to give this 5 stars. The best books leave me speechless in my reviews, and this is one of them despite the fact I do have a lil sum sum to say. There's something about it that left me hovering just under 5 stars. M's section alone is worth 5 stars for sure, but for the others I was like oh this book is a 4.25, 4.5, and then M blew it out the park. I love books that leave me with an empty lingering feeling in the pit of my stomach. What an excellent writer. Such beautiful descriptions. I left this book hungry and enjoyed my meal. As a person with an unhealthy, complicated relationship with food, know that's quite a task. And then the story? W O W . I love when families ❤️ There's truly layers to this. And it was so hard renting this from my li rary it doesn't seem to stay on the shelves, FOR GOOD REASON !!! I WILL be buying it.
I'm clawing at reasons not to give this 5 stars. The best books leave me speechless in my reviews, and this is one of them despite the fact I do have a lil sum sum to say. There's something about it that left me hovering just under 5 stars. M's section alone is worth 5 stars for sure, but for the others I was like oh this book is a 4.25, 4.5, and then M blew it out the park. I love books that leave me with an empty lingering feeling in the pit of my stomach. What an excellent writer. Such beautiful descriptions. I left this book hungry and enjoyed my meal. As a person with an unhealthy, complicated relationship with food, know that's quite a task. And then the story? W O W . I love when families ❤️ There's truly layers to this. And it was so hard renting this from my li rary it doesn't seem to stay on the shelves, FOR GOOD REASON !!! I WILL be buying it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Sexual content, Gore, Grief, Violence, Body horror, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content, Animal cruelty, Murder, Animal death, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abandonment, Drug use, Confinement, and Medical trauma
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
year23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
fast-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
4.5
Going in, I knew this wasn't a horror book (it really isn't, I'm not sure why it's being marketed as such, this is not a scary book unless you have fears around grief). I think it falls into speculative fiction or even magical realism more than horror. There are horrific type things that happen, but that's the case in any book dealing with tragic events, particularly grief.
An excellent queer novel exploring complicated grief. I kept thinking about how there isn't a word for a parent who loses a child - and I think this book explores why that is, the horror of that experience and trying to place yourself when a key relationship that defines you is no more. How that grief also reverberates throughout a family system, a community, and does become its own entity, and in this case, a new being.
I loved the multiple perspectives/pov's - culminating in M's. So many metaphors at play in this story - would be cool to sit in on a class breaking it down.
While this may seem high-brow - far from it. Clear, evocative writing, no purple prose to be found.
Finally - I've been looking for a book that makes me genuinely laugh and there is a scene in here that I just think about and crack up. Personally, that's a feat in any novel - for a story with so many unreal things happening, moments like these, it still felt very human, grounded. This is such a good book - highly recommend to anyone.
An excellent queer novel exploring complicated grief. I kept thinking about how there isn't a word for a parent who loses a child - and I think this book explores why that is, the horror of that experience and trying to place yourself when a key relationship that defines you is no more. How that grief also reverberates throughout a family system, a community, and does become its own entity, and in this case, a new being.
I loved the multiple perspectives/pov's - culminating in M's. So many metaphors at play in this story - would be cool to sit in on a class breaking it down.
While this may seem high-brow - far from it. Clear, evocative writing, no purple prose to be found.
Finally - I've been looking for a book that makes me genuinely laugh and there is a scene in here that I just think about and crack up. Personally, that's a feat in any novel - for a story with so many unreal things happening, moments like these, it still felt very human, grounded. This is such a good book - highly recommend to anyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Chronic illness, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Child death, Gore, and Grief
noshinbean's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Child death, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Animal death, and Blood
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I picked this book up because it is an upcoming Literally Dead Book Club pick.
"Monstrilio" is a heart wrenching horror book that follows a grieving mother, Magos. Following the death of her son, Santiago, Magos cuts a piece of his lung out and cares for it because of an old folktale. The lung grows and evolves into what the family names Monstrilio. They keep him hidden in their home in Mexico City until Monstrilio starts to resemble Santiago.
I really enjoyed this book as an exploration of grief and loss. Magos wants more than anything to have her son back, and her desperation drives her to allow the creation of Monstrilio. This creature is not human, and he causes great chaos, but Magos cannot bear to give up on the idea that he is a piece of her baby boy.
I have not read any horror like this, and I have not read much that explores a folktale quite like this. This story is rich with culture and hope.
I look forward to seeing what Gerardo Sámano Córdova writes in the future!
"Monstrilio" is a heart wrenching horror book that follows a grieving mother, Magos. Following the death of her son, Santiago, Magos cuts a piece of his lung out and cares for it because of an old folktale. The lung grows and evolves into what the family names Monstrilio. They keep him hidden in their home in Mexico City until Monstrilio starts to resemble Santiago.
I really enjoyed this book as an exploration of grief and loss. Magos wants more than anything to have her son back, and her desperation drives her to allow the creation of Monstrilio. This creature is not human, and he causes great chaos, but Magos cannot bear to give up on the idea that he is a piece of her baby boy.
I have not read any horror like this, and I have not read much that explores a folktale quite like this. This story is rich with culture and hope.
I look forward to seeing what Gerardo Sámano Córdova writes in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child death, Gore, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy
monstersinspace's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Maybe this book just wasn't for me. Like 95% of the time I had no idea what was going on. I feel like it was all over the place and the end kinda just meandered around and with no discernable plot.
Spoiler: I thought it would have been about grief but then it went to this weird sex cannibalism route that I still don't understand. The first part was about grief, but after they cut of M's stump there was a whole lot of nothing, a time skip of like 7 years, and then M being even more of a horrible monster creature thing and everyone making excuses for him.
Spoiler: I thought it would have been about grief but then it went to this weird sex cannibalism route that I still don't understand. The first part was about grief, but after they cut of M's stump there was a whole lot of nothing, a time skip of like 7 years, and then M being even more of a horrible monster creature thing and everyone making excuses for him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Grief, Cannibalism, Death, Sexual content, Drug use, Murder, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Child death
smuds2's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For a first novel, it is quite good - I'd happily read any another novels written by Córdova.
The pacing is quite good - I think it pauses where it needs to pause and speeds where it needs to speed. I think I would have liked it to sit a bit more with Joseph - it felt like his chapter was stuck mostly with narrative and rapid character development to a climax.
There were some unnecessary sexual explicit scenes for my taste (I'm not quite sure the fact that they were sexually explicit added anything valuable to the importance of the scenes). I also think that at times, the first three chapters lapsed into kind of a generic voice.
I think that, thematically, this is a great work of weird-fiction? Magical realism? depicting the grieving process. Lucia, not really understanding monstrilio, but begrudgingly living with it (I'm thinking especially post attack). Lena just being supportive to both her friend(s) and the manifestation of their grief. Magos arc of basically saying "I can fix it", while it 'dragged' on her life (although, not for the worse - I'm thinking of her turning down the Valencia gig to stay with family could easily be interpreted as a reprioritization directly as a result of the strengthened bonds formed during grief).
I don't think Josephs arc is nearly as clean - and maybe that's the point?
And I'm not quite sure how to square away uncle luke in this setting - is he the enabler? Is that good? The safe place to act your worse during grief?
I also think that a major shortcoming of the book was not sitting with lucia's death and then just kind of ignoring jackie. is that because they were not supportive? And as a result faded out of their life? I feel like there could have been thematic commentary for how to grief for a "normal" death.
The pacing is quite good - I think it pauses where it needs to pause and speeds where it needs to speed. I think I would have liked it to sit a bit more with Joseph - it felt like his chapter was stuck mostly with narrative and rapid character development to a climax.
There were some unnecessary sexual explicit scenes for my taste (I'm not quite sure the fact that they were sexually explicit added anything valuable to the importance of the scenes). I also think that at times, the first three chapters lapsed into kind of a generic voice.
I think that, thematically, this is a great work of weird-fiction? Magical realism? depicting the grieving process. Lucia, not really understanding monstrilio, but begrudgingly living with it (I'm thinking especially post attack). Lena just being supportive to both her friend(s) and the manifestation of their grief. Magos arc of basically saying "I can fix it", while it 'dragged' on her life (although, not for the worse - I'm thinking of her turning down the Valencia gig to stay with family could easily be interpreted as a reprioritization directly as a result of the strengthened bonds formed during grief).
I don't think Josephs arc is nearly as clean - and maybe that's the point?
And I'm not quite sure how to square away uncle luke in this setting - is he the enabler? Is that good? The safe place to act your worse during grief?
I also think that a major shortcoming of the book was not sitting with lucia's death and then just kind of ignoring jackie. is that because they were not supportive? And as a result faded out of their life? I feel like there could have been thematic commentary for how to grief for a "normal" death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Animal death, Drug abuse, Body horror, Cannibalism, Deadnaming, Drug use, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Child death, Gore, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, and Torture