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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!
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!
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.lukewarm_ravens's review
adventurous
dark
fast-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
4.75
Read for a class. Not the greatest thing in the world, but I had a heck of a good time. Awesome. Will read again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death of parent, Violence, Torture, Suicide, Child death, Murder, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racism, and Xenophobia
chrschn's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
5.0
Fantastic from start to finish. Tore through this in a single 24 hour period, and would likely have done it in a single sitting were I a faster reader or unburdened with the need for sleep or food. (Skill issue, really).
Tightly written weird western adventure that reads equal parts folk legend and gunslinging thriller, with a healthy dose of dark, unsettling horror mixed in. Red Rabbit’s depiction of Kansas is rich in magic, witchcraft, monsters, and some things worse than monsters. The primary antagonist is deeply disturbing and feels like a slimy black ooze in your brain.
There are a handful of central characters in the mix, each with their own peculiarities and motivations, some good, some bad, and some that are revealed along the way. Despite the wide cast of characters, each feels lifelike and realized and really jump off the page. Found myself very invested in the ensemble cast, and was pleasantly surprised with one character in particular who at first glance seemed little more than a set piece, but ended up being one of my favorites in the whole book.
The writing is vivid and descriptive without stumbling over clumsy metaphors or flowery language, and every scene plays out like a scene in a movie. (Side note, I would be shocked if this didn’t make it to screen in the near future). It should be noted what an accomplishment it is that the horror elements are successfully visceral, creepy, grimy, and unsettling without resorting to the sexual violence or graphic animal death that so commonly plague the genre. I understand that some people find this more palatable, but it feels cheap and grating at this point, so the absence of such content was hugely refreshing.
Super fun book overall and will be recommending this one to anyone who will listen.
Tightly written weird western adventure that reads equal parts folk legend and gunslinging thriller, with a healthy dose of dark, unsettling horror mixed in. Red Rabbit’s depiction of Kansas is rich in magic, witchcraft, monsters, and some things worse than monsters. The primary antagonist is deeply disturbing and feels like a slimy black ooze in your brain.
There are a handful of central characters in the mix, each with their own peculiarities and motivations, some good, some bad, and some that are revealed along the way. Despite the wide cast of characters, each feels lifelike and realized and really jump off the page. Found myself very invested in the ensemble cast, and was pleasantly surprised with one character in particular who at first glance seemed little more than a set piece, but ended up being one of my favorites in the whole book.
The writing is vivid and descriptive without stumbling over clumsy metaphors or flowery language, and every scene plays out like a scene in a movie. (Side note, I would be shocked if this didn’t make it to screen in the near future). It should be noted what an accomplishment it is that the horror elements are successfully visceral, creepy, grimy, and unsettling without resorting to the sexual violence or graphic animal death that so commonly plague the genre. I understand that some people find this more palatable, but it feels cheap and grating at this point, so the absence of such content was hugely refreshing.
Super fun book overall and will be recommending this one to anyone who will listen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Cannibalism and Animal death
rivercat0338's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Animal cruelty, Death, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Body horror, Suicide, Gore, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, and Child abuse
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!
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
mals_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
i honestly really loved this book! i listened on audio, and the plot was so involved— it felt like a lot of little side quests that all converged at the end.
love the idea of a little posse of people who don’t quite fit together. there was a lot going on, and the characters explored so much of the world. the worldbuilding felt very well-rounded and involved.
only detracting a bit from it because while i loved the world, i wish the characters themselves could have been explored a little bit more. this is very clearly a plot-driven book and while we do get hints of some background information, i personally would have loved to see more.
i think the pacing also slows down around the middle. i loved the beginning of the book in describing Joe and Rose’s life so much, and i wish that type of storytelling was used just a teensy bit more throughout (but that’s because i’m a character-driven person! if you prefer plot, this is def for you)
all in all i really did love the story. it intertwined western fiction and horror really well in my opinion. would def recommend for fans of this genre!
love the idea of a little posse of people who don’t quite fit together. there was a lot going on, and the characters explored so much of the world. the worldbuilding felt very well-rounded and involved.
only detracting a bit from it because while i loved the world, i wish the characters themselves could have been explored a little bit more. this is very clearly a plot-driven book and while we do get hints of some background information, i personally would have loved to see more.
i think the pacing also slows down around the middle. i loved the beginning of the book in describing Joe and Rose’s life so much, and i wish that type of storytelling was used just a teensy bit more throughout (but that’s because i’m a character-driven person! if you prefer plot, this is def for you)
all in all i really did love the story. it intertwined western fiction and horror really well in my opinion. would def recommend for fans of this genre!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Death
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Suicide, Animal death, and Cannibalism
Minor: Racism
albernikolauras's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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
Red Rabbit is probably one of the favorite books I read in 2023.
The plot follows a mangy group that go off to claim a reward for a witch they may or may not have killed. This book is a mix of Western travel and horror. It's a travel book, but it never seemed stuck on monotonous. It's bleak and heartwarming at the same time as these characters develop bonds with each other.
I wish I could revisit all these characters.
The plot follows a mangy group that go off to claim a reward for a witch they may or may not have killed. This book is a mix of Western travel and horror. It's a travel book, but it never seemed stuck on monotonous. It's bleak and heartwarming at the same time as these characters develop bonds with each other.
I wish I could revisit all these characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Suicide, Cursing, Suicide attempt, and Body horror
Moderate: Racism and Violence
smurphy5337's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was a fast-paced, captivating gothic horror Western and I loved every second! No slow bits and really fell for the characters through the course of the story. Not the conclusion I expected, but enjoyed it so much anyway! Most engaging novel I’ve read in ages
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cannibalism, Child death, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Gore
apcraig's review
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, and Death
krysley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
The premise of this sounded great. I especially love when horror is combined with other genres, so I was excited to dive into this.
Pros: The music! I absolutely adored the music and the singing parts of this book. I replayed them multiple times, they were so good. There are definitely some creepy/horror parts in this. I loved how all the little elements and characters wove throughout and connected to everything. It was like little Easter eggs every time.
Cons: It did seem to drag a little bit in the middle.
The narrator: John Pirhalla caught my attention right away. The entire audiobook was so much fun to listen to.
The premise of this sounded great. I especially love when horror is combined with other genres, so I was excited to dive into this.
Pros: The music! I absolutely adored the music and the singing parts of this book. I replayed them multiple times, they were so good. There are definitely some creepy/horror parts in this. I loved how all the little elements and characters wove throughout and connected to everything. It was like little Easter eggs every time.
Cons: It did seem to drag a little bit in the middle.
The narrator: John Pirhalla caught my attention right away. The entire audiobook was so much fun to listen to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Blood, Death, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Murder
Minor: Suicide and Child death