Reviews tagging 'Gore'

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel

4 reviews

snowiceblackfruit77's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Gore, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Blood, Stalking, Violence, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Body horror, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Vomit, Murder, and Physical abuse

fredrikamarias's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Addiction, Pedophilia, Drug use, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Grief, Gore, and Mental illness

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, and Sexism

breeamf's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Death, and Drug abuse

reading_and_roaming20's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

What a gorgeous, yet brutal story. Days later, I am struggling to put coherent thoughts down to accurately express what this book is. 

The circumstances sisters Arc and Daffy endured from childhood and beyond are heart wrenching. The reality is that the abuse and cycle of addiction within the pages of their story is not at all fictional for so many. TIFFANY MCDANIEL humanizes and creates empathy for women on the fringes. I had such love for all of the Chillicothe Queens. 

MCDANIEL uses unique aspects of this book to make it so much more. The first section blew me away with the river’s perspective of a murdered woman traveling through her waters at the end of each chapter. It was both eerie and beautiful.

This book is not going to be for everyone. As far as content warnings go, it’s got them all. There are graphic descriptions of drug use, assault, and violence. But they are not gratuitous or included for shock value. Each horrific scene serves a purpose in building the story and invoking emotion in the reader. 

There are illustrations throughout that set the scene as you progress from one chapter to the next. I made an effort to finish reading at one of these illustrations each time I put the book down. I would absolutely recommend this strategy. It immediately put me back in the story to open back up to a keyhole or drawing of an eye. 

And I can’t post this review without giving MCDANIEL credit for one of the best twists of all time. It is not often that I am caught so completely off guard. Honestly, just incredible. 

There is simply not enough that can be said about ON THE SAVAGE SIDE. It deserves all the stars and then some. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Death, Drug use, Addiction, Body horror, Rape, Death of parent, Gore, Sexual violence, Torture, and Miscarriage