Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

84 reviews

anyaemilie's review against another edition

4.5

I went into this not knowing ANYTHING about it (which I never do), and I was taken by surprise so many times, but I honestly think that's the best way to read this book.

This was a strange, monstrous look at grief and the loss of a child, and it was really really good. 

Some content warnings though. This IS horror so don't be surprised by this, just be careful if you're sensitive to these things:

death of a child; gore; blood; body horror; murder; animal death

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Body horror, Blood, Murder, Gore, and Animal death

sissizc's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cannibalism, Child death, Blood, and Body horror

slimshaedy92's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad 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

5.0

A queer allegory that doesn’t sacrifice diversity to make its point. Monstrilio is easy to love, and this is much more of a love story than a horror one. (It’s you- you’re falling in love with M he is baby now)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Gore

Moderate: Grief

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. 

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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

twentyoneayear's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Body horror

vbarsi's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Animal death

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Homophobia, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Grief, Blood, Child death, and Cannibalism

Minor: Alcohol

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.

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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

sofipitch's review against another edition

dark slow-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

The writing style was a little too dry for me. It often reads like a screenplay and lots of scenes just feel like they are movies with no music. First half of this was better, I really liked those sections, and then the style seemed to work with the tone. But the last two narrations were when it started to lose me. Also just could have gone harder, the horror and even the sex a lot of comments seem shocked by were just meh

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Body horror, Cannibalism, and Chronic illness

sydresnik's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Body horror, and Grief

applesodaperson's review against another edition

dark sad tense 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

4.25

This book was really good! I liked how it went into multiple different character's perspectives, giving those different perspectives on grief, which is ultimately what this book is about. I also liked how

M had like 5 people ready and willing to help him cover up a murder lol, even though it felt slightly unrealistic.

I also loved the LGBTQ+ rep, and how natural it felt. This isn't a book about being gay, but being in a same-sex relationship is just part of the norm in this family, which was awesome. I also feel like this book would be a great one to read in a book club setting, because I feel like there is still symbolism and themes that I missed. 
Read from the Provo library. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Child death, Body horror, and Gore