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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
I loved that this novella subverts the horror movie cliche of punishing sexual (air quote) ‘promiscuity’, the story’s fierce feminism, and the Chicana protagonists. Little bits of the prose were amazing. But after the initial possession, the story doesn’t take the premise of the ancient goddess of filth far enough, so it ends up being more a fine tale of righteous cosmic vengeance, and almost, but not quite weird enough to be super cool.
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this more; I loved the concept the execution just didn't work for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Incest, Misogyny, Blood
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Goddess of Filth might be the most feel-good possession story I’ve ever read. What starts as a teenage séance gone wrong turns into something far more interesting—an ancient goddess taking up residence inside one of the girls, flipping the usual exorcism trope on its head. Thematically, it’s right up my alley, tackling female sexuality, religious oppression, and indigenous folklore. But despite all this, I found myself underwhelmed. The story always felt like it was building toward something profound, but when we got there, it didn’t quite land.
I loved the idea of this book more than its execution. A group of San Antonio teens accidentally summon an Aztec goddess? Incredible. But at novella length, it moves too fast to fully explore its best ideas. We race from a séance to a battle between colonial religion and ancestral power, with some vengeful justice in between, but the transitions are clunky.
A little flawed and ambitious, sure, but ultimately the exploration of power, friendship, and the divine feminine was a fun way to spend an afternoon.
A little flawed and ambitious, sure, but ultimately the exploration of power, friendship, and the divine feminine was a fun way to spend an afternoon.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Interesting new take on a "possession" book.