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comfy_anna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Cannibalism, Body horror, Murder, Body shaming, Vomit, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Addiction, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Outing, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Death, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, and Terminal illness
Minor: Abandonment and Abortion
ceebee86's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I am not fully convinced of its "horror" label. There were moments where I thought it was disturbing and gross for sure--just like The Juniper Tree fairy tale. But this was more sad than anything.
I found Marlinchen to be a bit aggravating at first but it really does just take some getting used to. She's not so much aggravating as she is sad. The profound effects of abuse permeate her very mentally ill mind.
On this subject I thought the novel really hit. It was very real. The parental and sexual abuse, the honeymoon reconciliation and the rest of the stages in the cycle of abuse, the way siblings grow to use each other for their own survival, and the trauma bonding, were all just so so real.
My one major gripe is that it did slip into a repetitive or redundant style. The book mentions breasts and nipples a lot. And yeah maybe there was an intent to it thematically, but at some point it just became too much. I was tired of it.
And also the constant "I am ugly and my two sisters are beautiful" schtick. I get it. Characterizing women only by their one most defining physical feature is very much a fairytale trope, but it's so tiresome in the context of a contemporary novel.
I believe Reid said this book thematically revolved around the advancement of society under capitalism. That was an undercurrent across the book as a whole. And I thought it established the atmosphere and setting really well.
Overall, a decent read but not for the impatient or those with weak stomachs.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Classism, Eating disorder, Gore, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Cannibalism, Confinement, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism and Antisemitism
louiepotterbook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Murder, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Self harm, Death, Dysphoria, Gore, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Vomit, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Xenophobia
kiandrareadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Self harm, Blood, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Animal death, Body horror, Death of parent, and Gore
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
bookmark3brodi's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Self harm, Cannibalism, Child death, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Body shaming, Bullying, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexism
abception's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Graphic: Animal death, Sexual content, Blood, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Vomit, Xenophobia, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, Dysphoria, Gore, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Body horror, Body shaming, Colonisation, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol and Suicidal thoughts
stacyaj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Vomit, Eating disorder, Cannibalism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Dysphoria
campisforever's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This novel is a really raw and honest portrayal of various kinds of trauma, mental health struggles, and coping mechanisms. Many of the content warnings I've included are the exact warnings Ava Reid provides for the novel on her website. Please be mindful of those tags. That said, I was honestly a little scared to read this book because it seemed like a lot, and it was, but not in a way that glorifies the horrors of humanity and abuse. If you're open to a story that takes you through the darkest parts of our folklore--here, Germanic and Slavic lore--and gives you a glimmer of hope on the other end, it's worth it.
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Blood, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Vomit, Body horror, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, and Self harm
Moderate: Cannibalism, Antisemitism, Incest, Classism, and Violence
luxias's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Cannibalism
Minor: Gore, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Abandonment, and Blood
slvt4b00ks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This has been my all time favorite book I have read. Period. Reid is a master of weirdly beautiful and unique metaphors and other literary devices. I had no idea people could write and create such beautiful captivating atmospheres that are equally as horrifying and dark.
I couldn’t name all of the trigger warnings that this needs to be filed under. There were parts of this that were very difficult to read. Expect rape, abuse, alcoholism, cannibalism, self mutilation, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, so on and so forth.
That being said I think the author touched on every single one of those sensitive subjects with brutal honesty and also something like grace.
For a majority of the book I found the story very character driven. Toward the end it picked up but it was so worth it. Highly recommend!
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Death, Torture, Violence, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Vomit