Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian

9 reviews

sheriffrockyraccoon's review

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I was excited to read a cowboy horror- something that I never would have thought of but seems so perfect- and was eager to start it. While it is definitely violent, I fell in love with the characters and enjoyed the plot as they battled different supernatural elements on the prairie.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in what I would call “D&D” horror. It’s an unlikely group that set on an adventure with many familiar supernatural/horror events. I thought Grecian’s take on traditional folklore and ghost stories was a refreshing take that kept me on my toes. 

For me, personally, the violence against animals was too excessive which is why I docked it a star. If that doesn’t bother you, I would definitely give it a read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Gore, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion, Cursing, Medical content, Suicide, Racism, and Vomit

Minor: Excrement, Fatphobia, and Stalking

bookbrig's review

adventurous dark 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? No

4.0

I'm not sure why I originally put this on hold, but I highly recommend the audiobook if you can get it. The reader is fantastic, and there are a couple songs in the story that are accompanied by music and are quite lovely to listen to. This is a gritty magical western with a roadtrip adventure feel, and I loved the characters and the slowly twisting journey. It's gory and occasionally kind of gross, but for all the darkness it didn't get too horrifying for me.  And there's a core of kindness and sweetness to some of the characters that offsets all the evil. 

The ending didn't quite stick the landing for me, because after all the build-up I felt like it unspooled too quickly, leaving me wanting a little something more. But I'd still recommend it. I think I'll booktalk this one for teens who enjoy Stephen King, though I'd likely go with readers in high school or older.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Suicide, Child death, Animal death, Gore, and Racism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Vomit, and Torture

Minor: Infidelity and Slavery

karenleagermain's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

4.5

Red Rabbit grabbed me and didn't let go. I seriously could not put this book down or stop talking about it to anyone who would listen. 

It's intense, graphic, bloody, and shocking. A western-horror that follows an unlikely group of strangers who hit the trail for different reasons. I can't quite make a complete parallel, but many portions of the story reminded me of The Wizard of Oz- with a ton of blood! 

The horror elements were truly disturbing. Grecian does an excellent job at writing a sense of foreboding that kept me anxious, needing to know if the characters were going to be okay. 

I really enjoyed how elements of the story were explained. I didn't feel like there were any loose ends and the last chapter was quite lovely and tender. It ended in a way that was soft after all of the violence. 

This is my first book by Grecian and I will seek out his other works. I loved Red Rabbit! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Vomit, Violence, Cannibalism, and Suicide

This is very much a horror book and it was about as graphic and intense as I have ever read. I love horror, so this wasn't a problem, but if you are not a fan of the genre, you might find it disturbing.

bookjaims's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was not expecting to like this, but I loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Child death, Cannibalism, Vomit, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Suicide, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Abortion, Torture, Terminal illness, and Death

flexxington's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Racism, Torture, Abortion, Gun violence, Body horror, Suicide, Death, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Animal death, and Gore

blacksphinx's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-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? Yes

2.0

I don't know why Tor Nightfire published this historical fantasy novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Vomit, and Gun violence

Moderate: Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, and Racial slurs

Minor: Sexism, Rape, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual content, Suicide, and Abortion

erynlasbelin's review

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Murder, Stalking, Torture, Violence, Blood, Gore, Vomit, and Alcoholism

Minor: Grief, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Body shaming, Cursing, Excrement, Fatphobia, Rape, Racism, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Medical content, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

pm_me_book_recs's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was such a fun ride, the description had me hooked and I was ready for some western antics! 

Themes of found family, gathering an adventure party, and good vs evil. Our main cast of adventurers is a dynamic and hearty bunch, mysterious backgrounds abound! The baddies are either absolutely unhinged, or total wretches that make you pity and hate them. There's an undercurrent of bumbling henchmen (with racist and misogynist tendancies) and it feels like every single character has the worst luck (aside from a few). There is gruesome violence and body horror, some spectral scares, and an overall tenseness to the story. 

The pace was a little slower than I expected, considering the tagine, and I had issues remember the massive cast of characters between the constant shifting perspectives. All said and done, this book was a great time, equal parts hilarious and unsettling. 

I listened to an ALC via libro.fm and the narrator was excellent. Showcasing various Western/Southern accents to easily deliberate between speakers, and perfectly portryed the deranged big baddie, John Pirhella was amazing!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Death, Violence, Torture, Murder, Animal death, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Racial slurs, Vomit, Colonisation, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Cannibalism, Suicide, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

readthesparrow's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.5

SUMMARY

Sadie Grace is wanted for witchcraft. And every hired gun in Kansas is out to collect the bounty on her head, including witch hunter Old Tom and his mysterious, mute ward, Rabbit.

On the road to Burden County, they’re joined by two vagabond cowboys with a strong sense of adventure – but no sense of purpose – and a recently widowed school teacher with nothing left to lose. As their posse grows, so too does the danger.

Racing along the landscape in a stolen red stagecoach, they encounter monsters--and men--more wicked than witches lurking along the dusty trail. (adapted from https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250874689/redrabbit)

REVIEW

As someone obsessed with epic poetry, folklore, and long-ass books, I loved Red Rabbit.

The book is a brick at over 400 pages, broken into seven parts. Point of view is third person, and shifts between characters chapter-by-chapter, sometimes even jumping to characters whom we haven’t met and whose relation to the plot is unclear (at least, until it all comes together and their relation to the plot becomes *very* clear). 

Grecian doesn’t waste time, but he also doesn’t rush–the pacing overall is excellent, and carries well throughout the entire length. The only minor criticism I have is that the leadup to the final confrontation feels a bit rushed, but considering how eager I was to see what happened next, I didn’t mind too much.

The characters are so textured. Whether I loved them dearly or wanted to trample them with a horse, I wanted to see what they were going to do next. The whole cast–even characters I thought I would dislike, such as Joe Mullins–quickly grew close to my heart. 

(Except Tom. Fuck that guy.) 

Despite having already spent 400 pages with Sadie, Rose, Ned, Moses, Rabbit, and stranger folk we meet near the final leg of the road, I wish we could have spent more time with them before the story drew to a close. I want to know more about Ned and Moses’ adventures, and more about their friendship. I want to see what Rose does after that final chapter. Hell, the setting itself (as all good settings are) became its own character–even if we don’t get to see more from the Red Rabbit crew, I would love another book that explores Red Rabbit’s setting in the future. I love folk horror and supernatural weird west, and the take executed by Grecian was fantastic.

The villain was delightfully terrifying. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say this: the villain reminds me of a Hieronymus Bosch painting, if that Hieronymus Bosch painting wanted to hunt you for sport.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’ll definitely be returning to Red Rabbit in the future. It’s got everything I love: an odyssey, fantastic characters, weird folk horror, cowboys, and a freaky, intimidating villain whose only goal in life is to cause murder on purpose. I’d love to give the audiobook a listen–I’ve heard good things.

If you also love horror weird West, you’ve got to read Red Rabbit. It’s one helluva bloody ride.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing a digital ARC via Netgalley. If you are interested in Red Rabbit, it releases 19 September 2023.

If possible, support indie bookshops by purchasing the novel from your local brick and mortar or from Bookshop.org!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Suicide, Body horror, Animal death, Death, Gore, Animal cruelty, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Cannibalism, Alcoholism, Racism, Alcohol, Child death, Sexism, Grief, Racial slurs, Misogyny, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Medical content, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Vomit, and Infertility