Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

132 reviews

kinzythefreak's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, and Death of parent

hschorr's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This book was fantastically creepy. A story of grief painted through the lens of speculative and cosmic horror, it’ll leave you not quite sure of what you’re reading and a little (or a lot) uneasy and looking over your shoulder. There is, however, some body horror, which I don’t tend to appreciate, but for some reason it didn’t bother me much.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Body horror

loupend's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

apollo0325's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

First, I'd like to say the length of this novel saved this from being a DNF for me. I almost DNF'd midway through part one, but I said fuck it, it's only a 6 hour audiobook and I decided to keep going. I'm glad I did. This book encompasses such a specific angle of grief that isn't explored enough in literature especially under the lens of psychological horror/body horror/cosmic horror (of sorts).

I won't lie, the beginning is VERY slow because it's setting up Thiago's relationship with Vera, his mental state at her loss, and what life was like with her. However, after part one, we really get a grasp of what this novel is going to be in a way. I kept seeing people online pitch this book as one about grief and a "haunted Alexa" but babes, the haunted Alexa part is maybe 10% of the novel within part one and mentioned later on. I'd pitch this book as a psychological horror examining grief and how one deals with loss as someone basically loses their grip on reality (psychosis). Thiago is someone who is absolutely stricken with bad luck 100% of the time, and you learn this very quickly in part one. It makes this book all the more tragic.

If you're sensitive to animal death/violence especially with dogs, please cautiously read this book. It doesn't occur until part two, but everything snowballs very quickly after that point.

The ending was simultaneously confusing and tragic. I knew Thiago was succumbing to his grief, but it was really unclear as to what was actually happening to him. That's more of a me problem + listening through the audiobook. NGL, I also kind of hate the idea that people's tragedies/fates are inescapable, especially when it is based on generational trauma. It makes it feel like there is no hope at all and instead you should just die to save the people around you. It's a very hopeless ending, but that's also my interpretation. Others may feel differently! I think the open ending allows the reader to draw their own conclusions on what was going on with Thiago.

This book was brutal, unsettling, and tragic. The audiobook narrator was also FANTASTIC. I loved his narration. I'd read another book with him narrating it for sure.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Minor: Abandonment and Classism

If you are sensitive to animal death / viscera, I would not recommend this book unless you feel okay going in knowing it WILL be descriptive and detailed. The body horror in this one is also very well described.

not necessarily a spoiler but to be safe, sticking it here. The book can also be interpreted as a psychosis/psychological break of the protagonist.

mlewis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Terminal illness

Minor: Miscarriage

thedreaminghare's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

I read a moderate amount of horror, but this book was one of the only ones that I found genuinely frightening. It sent a thrill of fear up my spine and my arm hairs stood on end at several points during the story. 

I thought the author crafted a fantastic and believable horror by melding elements of folklore and 'just nope' scenarios with elements of modernity and everyday life along with the emotional turmoil that comes with grieving someone important to you.

If you're looking for a good spook, this may be the read for you. 

Mind the CW's if there are things you're trying to avoid.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, and Death

kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I liked this! The ending was predictably unsatisfying but I think that’s what makes it good horror!

Thiago was in turns pathetic and frightening and saddening and my god does that cook give me the willies. 

In the best of ways, this reminded me of SGJ, and Neil Gaiman specifically in OATEOTL and American Gods

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Death, Gore, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, and Deportation

magicalrealem's review against another edition

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Animal cruelty

bitchigo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

bxnnny's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

2.0

i wanted to like this book but it honestly fell flat for me. the beginning started off decently - i found the representation of grief to be well done and it hit me hard. but as the story progressed and we're seeing more of the supernatural bits coming out, i was feeling a bit lost. there's no explanation as to what is really going on beyond some very minor speculation and things became somewhat confusing for me towards the end with the dreams and the quick jumps back to reality(?). i felt like there should have been more of a bigger build up to a crescendo ending but it really just fell flat for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief