Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado

16 reviews

kajoreads's review

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

The concept was intriguing, the athmosphere was deliciously unsettling and the art was absolutely gorgeous. The artist and the colorist worked incredibly well together.

I really enjoyed the first half. It took time to establish the world and set the mood.

Unfortunately, the ending felt like reading a brief summary of the events. I wanted it to slow down.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Drug use, Sexism, Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, and Misogyny

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Vomit, Suicide, Child death, and Classism

Minor: Transphobia, Animal death, and Homophobia

enyltiak's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

Such a gorgeous and haunting graphic novel—the horror of it compounds as you read and discover what is truly happening in Shudder-to-Think. Strange and horrifying and I absolutely loved it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Body horror, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury

While there is no sexual assault on page, nor is it explicitly stated, it is a major theme of the story.

alicroz34's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty and Child abuse

bashsbooks's review

dark emotional 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? No

5.0

The Low, Low Woods absolutely took my breath away. The setting of an old coal-mining town in poor, rural Pennsylvania was so well-chosen and so integral to the story. That aspect blew my mind. The art style is beautiful and haunting. El and Octavia are both compelling characters, and their main conflict makes sense and jives well with the rest of the plot. 

The twist is heartbreaking, but I gasped as all the pieces clicked into place. Even though it is a fantastical story, it is incredibly REAL. 

I loved this so much I'm almost incoherent. Go read it!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Cursing, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Death, Murder, Pedophilia, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Suicide, Gore, Cancer, Medical content, and Death of parent

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Body horror, Gore, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Rape, Child death, Child abuse, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent and Dementia

Contains depictions of potentially underage sex.

triftwizened's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Gore, Sexual assault, Blood, and Violence

chantaal'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? No

2.5

 

 This was a very interesting story with some decent horror, but I really disliked the execution. It's basically 75% weirdness, and 25% narrative info dumping at the end that reveals everything and an ending that feels hollow. 

The art was okay, but this will never be my favorite style. I like faces and bodies to be more defined, and for color work to be a little more interesting. The art felt dull. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Gore

Moderate: Violence, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Rape

litprof's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

I felt like this graphic novel was written for me! Smithies, lesbians, supernatural, and meaningful female friendship!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, and Sexual violence

vigil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

never in my life has a piece of content and author felt so tailor made for me??? not to mention the amazing work that the illustrator dani does with the very visceral and specific descriptions of body horror. 

i did not expect that reveal towards the end, but in retrospect, when you remove the supernatural elements it’s horrifyingly true to life. 

i had some issues with the formatting of this but that is likely due to the fact that i don’t read comics. 

the characters are fully realized within this very atmospheric world. if you can stomach the heavy topics and graphic but abstract imagery i would highly recommend this.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Transphobia, Violence, Sexual content, Misogyny, Grief, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

rachbake's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Rape, Vomit, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexism