Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

32 reviews

jourdanicus's review against another edition

dark reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Ooh this was sooo good. It came to me at the right time too I think. I feel that horror shouldn't only try to be scary, to be good it needs to appeal to one's strong emotions, and this story did just that. Grief is a horror of real life, self-blame even more so. Moreno did excellent work of blending such real life horrors with the supernatural to more deeply illustrate them.

I wish the ending had been clearer but I understand why it wasn't. I wish it had been happier but I understand why it couldn't be. This book is sad but it made me think and that's usually all I ask.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Suicide

Minor: Deportation, Alcohol, Medical content, and Racism

opossumble's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Cursing, Medical content, and Gun violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Deportation, Drug use, and Terminal illness

kaitlyna94's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

Extremely scattered plot that never really pulls itself together. I really wanted to like it, and thought I would in the end, but gave up hope 3/4 of the way through. Had lots of potential to really use horror as a way of navigating grief, which is what I think it was trying to do, but it left me pretty disappointed. I still don’t understand what happened with the ending. Semi solid beginning, strong body, poor finish. I have hope that the author can produce better works in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death of parent, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Body horror, Blood, Death, Vomit, Suicide, and Grief

savvylit's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

"You were you and I was me and there was this thing between us."

This Thing Between Us is an excellently crafted slow-burn horror story. From almost the first page, Moreno drips dread and discomfort into the storyline. Beginning with a haunted Alexa-like device, the plot of this novel slowly descends into absolute demonic madness. This Thing Between Us is a truly unpredictable horror novel and I'm still (happily) confused about the ending.

This Thing Between Us isn't only upsetting because of its supernatural elements, however. Thiago's heart-wrenching grief over Vera is just as unsettling and pervasive as the paranormal entities that haunt him. In fact, his grief fuels the whole story and is often what motivates Thiago to make his most ill-fated decisions. No spoilers, of course, but Moreno portrays the daily reality of overwhelming loss, unlike any other author that I have read.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys atmospheric horror that constantly keeps you guessing. Just one reminder: be sure to check the content warnings before reading. There are some very graphic & gory scenes in this novel!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

ashleycmms's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Gore

Minor: Murder

keenanmaree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Medical content, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

kaylee1957's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

An emotional heartbreaking and horrifying. Dark and delightful. Stephen King's Cujo esk moments. Literally had my heart racing. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Suicide, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Abandonment

moiralyle's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Suicide, Violence, Alcohol, and Medical content

sarahholliday's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.25

I've come to really love & appreciate the horror genre, and This Thing Between Us is a perfect example as to why: the best stories in the genre are ultimately concerned with the mundane, universal experiences of humanity. Grief, guilt, loneliness, hate...by depicting these things in the extreme, at their most otherworldly and horrific, authors like Moreno interrogate the ways these very basic human emotions can takeover our lives.

Moreno is a beautiful writer, and you can feel him wrestling with his own grief as he walks us through Thiago's. The book is written like a love letter, or a confession, which means our understanding of events in the book are limited to what Thiago understands. It makes things a bit confusing at times, but the underlying messages of the story still come through. 

This Thing Between Us is a really powerful examination of grief, loss, race, belonging. There's gore and eeriness, horrific circumstances and plenty of tear-jerking moments, but it's all framed by genuine empathy. A really challenging and breathtaking book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

mondovertigo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Animal death, Death, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Stalking, Alcohol, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Cancer, Vomit, and Gun violence