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savvy999's review
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
A whirlwind of emotions. Subtly dazzling and rich. The distinct and provocative voices of the characters emphasize this complicated portrait of just how human a monster can be. We see M from all perspectives, in all of the viscera and gore and introspection that he entails. Grief transforms and makes new the bodies of those involved. Loss of the son, grief at not being the son that was lost, grief from up close and afar. “The monster stands at the borders of the possible”(quote from cohens monster theory, which definitely enhances a reading of this book) Monstrilio engages with the possibility of constructing a life and living it borrowed, that born of tradition/folklore and aided by science this being could be walking alongside others. but also stands with the pain of living amongst without feeling full, of being an outsider in their space and body. The possibility of embracing one’s own monstrosity is daunting and dangerous, but to M is ultimately a triumph of spirit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Death, Body horror, Animal death, Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Child death
orizenda's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I feel like complicated is a good word to describe this book. Not that it’s difficult to understand, there’s just a lot to think about. The characters are so complex imo and i really liked that. near the end my stomach was actually churning, which I was not anticipating. I love M.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, Grief, Physical abuse, Blood, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual content, Animal death, and Drug use
pagesandtales's review
dark
emotional
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Cannibalism, Sexual content, and Animal death
Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, and Death of parent
mxunsmiley's review against another edition
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
3.75
One of the more fascinating recently released novels I’ve read. It missed a great opportunity to delve deeper into disability and its implications regarding concepts of “monstrosity” and acceptance into the fold of dignified life, however; there’s a gaping hole in this regard which, had it been filled, could have made this novel perfect to me.
It is uneven in its presentation besides; after Magos’s point of view, which begins the novel, we go into Lena, who, while compelling, is not nearly as striking as Magos, who oscillates between aloofness, cruelty, wrought passion… a real spectrum of what is deemed unsavory in a woman, and a grieving mother, at that. She makes bizarre and incomprehensible statements and decisions, unfortunately given attention less and less as the narrative moves to Joseph and Peter, and finally, M, who then takes after his mother in intrigue.
It wasn’t exactly clear what M was meant to be—a reincarnation of Santiago, a creature with memories imposed on him through the willing of his birth, who knows—but that lack of definition framed the novel’s exploration of parenthood and children’s autonomy. A struggle to be that which his parents, or his “creator”, so desperately wanted him to be, insisting they can “tame” him, “transform” him, even as it causes him despair, confusion, and shame. Parents have all kinds of expectations for their children before they are even born; in one of Joseph’s chapters, he speaks of how he fantasized a future in which Santiago was thirty, happy beyond belief, while fully admitting that he didn’t have any idea what could have made Santiago so happy. Magos even says, “I know what Monstrilio is. I made him,” imposing all of her desires onto him, her desire which gave him form in the first place; thus, does he have any right to his own personhood? The plea of the child then seems paradoxical, perhaps, though all they long for is love and acceptance for what they choose—or sometimes, are forced—to become.
While there is a clear differentiation in voices, and a wide cast of characters, there aren’t many moments when it feels as though they are truly present in the narrative. Funnily enough, it’s like performance art, and the characters are set pieces, maybe speaking to the fable-like nature of the novel. The author’s Mexican background is obvious here, with the astute symbolism of a deteriorating house, nevertheless patched up frantically to give a show of respectability and dignity, keeping up appearances… Magos rebelling against that image of the Good Mexican Mother/Woman, particularly during the mass, was especially appreciated.
There’s a lot of clumsiness, but overall, the narrative absorbed me and ultimately, I enjoyed how bizarre it all was, despite the ending feeling a bit too rushed;I wish M’s decision to leave the family had been more impactful, given a more mystical or grand veneer to match the strangeness of the novel. There were a few tender moments that caught me off guard, as well; I didn't expect to appreciate Joseph's character as much as I did, particularly after the scene when he gently sets the tarantula free instead of killing it, as Peter insists he does.
It is uneven in its presentation besides; after Magos’s point of view, which begins the novel, we go into Lena, who, while compelling, is not nearly as striking as Magos, who oscillates between aloofness, cruelty, wrought passion… a real spectrum of what is deemed unsavory in a woman, and a grieving mother, at that. She makes bizarre and incomprehensible statements and decisions, unfortunately given attention less and less as the narrative moves to Joseph and Peter, and finally, M, who then takes after his mother in intrigue.
It wasn’t exactly clear what M was meant to be—a reincarnation of Santiago, a creature with memories imposed on him through the willing of his birth, who knows—but that lack of definition framed the novel’s exploration of parenthood and children’s autonomy. A struggle to be that which his parents, or his “creator”, so desperately wanted him to be, insisting they can “tame” him, “transform” him, even as it causes him despair, confusion, and shame. Parents have all kinds of expectations for their children before they are even born; in one of Joseph’s chapters, he speaks of how he fantasized a future in which Santiago was thirty, happy beyond belief, while fully admitting that he didn’t have any idea what could have made Santiago so happy. Magos even says, “I know what Monstrilio is. I made him,” imposing all of her desires onto him, her desire which gave him form in the first place; thus, does he have any right to his own personhood? The plea of the child then seems paradoxical, perhaps, though all they long for is love and acceptance for what they choose—or sometimes, are forced—to become.
While there is a clear differentiation in voices, and a wide cast of characters, there aren’t many moments when it feels as though they are truly present in the narrative. Funnily enough, it’s like performance art, and the characters are set pieces, maybe speaking to the fable-like nature of the novel. The author’s Mexican background is obvious here, with the astute symbolism of a deteriorating house, nevertheless patched up frantically to give a show of respectability and dignity, keeping up appearances… Magos rebelling against that image of the Good Mexican Mother/Woman, particularly during the mass, was especially appreciated.
There’s a lot of clumsiness, but overall, the narrative absorbed me and ultimately, I enjoyed how bizarre it all was, despite the ending feeling a bit too rushed;
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cannibalism, and Gore
spacebras's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well written and has a strong message :) but for me it's fine and not earth shattering. It's not so much <i>horror</i> horror as it is magical realism. It turns from slight horror to domestic fiction pretty quickly and the pace drops from there. And I think that misunderstanding soured the story for me because it was not what I was expecting, but unfortunately it wasn't able to recapture my attention.
I'm not rating it lower because of what I wished it was, but how to never really got to me in the end. Maybe it was the tone? I'm not sure. I can understand why people are into it. But I wouldn't call it "genuinely scary" like the blurbs tot. Outside of the first few scenes it's really not. And it doesn't have to be- it's just promoted as such
I'm not rating it lower because of what I wished it was, but how to never really got to me in the end. Maybe it was the tone? I'm not sure. I can understand why people are into it. But I wouldn't call it "genuinely scary" like the blurbs tot. Outside of the first few scenes it's really not. And it doesn't have to be- it's just promoted as such
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child death, and Medical content
Moderate: Cannibalism and Animal death
In the first scene, a child's dead body is torn open by his mother and a piece of his lung is taken out. It is graphic, but is the most graphic the story will get. And not done with ill intention (it's complicated)gabriellerza's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Animal death and Child death
kalldaff's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Gruesome and unsettling, but at its core a story about grief, loss, disability, and alienation through the lens of a monster novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Child death, Body horror, Animal death, and Gore
Moderate: Drug use
michael_langeloo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Murder, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Grief, Violence, Body horror, Medical content, Sexual content, and Gore
ghostingarden's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual content and Animal death
dezaraemd's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.5
I wish it hadn’t ended so abruptly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Animal death, Gore, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Infidelity
Minor: Ableism