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oroseo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
and there are such beautiful quotes. when you finally get to the part where a character says the title. when you reckon with how horribly disposable every body is. the ways that love is twisted and deployed, the ways love is manipulated and disparaged.
there is a slower section in this novel, one that feels odd but reveals itself as necessary later in the novel. it took me a while to get through that section, but i would recommend actively trying to connect some of the more mysterious things happening to what you've already learned.
also. AIDS? the horror of aids!!! didn't even expect that. do we call this genre historical horror?
I think one thing i wish i understood more, one thing that maybe a lot of non-Argentine readers of the book might need, is a tad more context on the colonial/racial history of Argentina. anti-indigeneity comes across very clear, and not unexpected, but i guess i just need to read more about who colonized and when. shockingly, lack of Argentine political knowledge does not hold one back, despite the time of the book.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Suicide, Body horror, Murder, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Violence, Racism, Vomit, Rape, and Police brutality
It is a dark book about a physically ill man being used by a cult, who abused many, many others. Would not recommend reading if you cannot handle graphic descriptions.eelizard's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, War, Torture, Child abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Medical content, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Slavery
kneecole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Child abuse, Violence, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Homophobia, Classism, Car accident, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Medical trauma, War, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Car accident, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death
Death of a pet dog is “off screen”arayo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, Child abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Gaslighting, Blood, Chronic illness, Gore, Child death, Grief, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Biphobia, Alcohol, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Vomit, Cannibalism, Genocide, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Infidelity, Drug use, Rape, Infertility, Police brutality, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
tree_star's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
It's also historical, political, and queer fiction, and that together is the triforce that did me in.
The end was worth all the hours spent wondering what the evil was and that it is both part of this world and not gives me the chills... but maybe you'll see it differently.
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Death, Torture, Body horror, Colonisation, Slavery, Blood, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, and Classism
Moderate: Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, War, Self harm, and Vomit
Minor: Rape, Cancer, Genocide, Police brutality, Alcoholism, and Mental illness
danikajoan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Drug use, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Death, Medical content, Violence, Suicide attempt, Torture, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Colonisation, Chronic illness, Murder, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Rape, Vomit, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Blood, Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Racism, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Gore, Classism, Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, and Genocide
Alllllll the trigger warnings for this one, very intense but not in a way that feels like it’s there just for shock value or is exploitative?writingcaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Review to come!
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Death of parent, Violence, Child death, Death, Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Classism, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Self harm
Moderate: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Homophobia, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Murder
Minor: Slavery, Rape, Cannibalism, Excrement, Racism, Sexual assault, and Miscarriage
alicia_rausch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The world, the characters, and the tone of the novel is masterfully done, though it remained much lighter on horror than I expected and the pacing was extremely slow. I found myself wanting to quit this beast multiple times and yet I’m glad I pushed through. I think, a bit like Vampires of El Norte, it was marketed as heavier on the horror than it was - and I was expecting a much larger % of the novel to be action, when in reality it was just a few sequences.
What it is, is a generational drama with horror elements, which should have been how it was advertised. It’s a quiet book, with a creeping sense of dread, and dark elements as we follow the family and how the cult affects each member over time. Like a darker, more effed-up Pachinko.
The rep for LGBTQ+ was well done, and like Pachinko, I greatly enjoyed the historical elements about a time period (and place) I am not overly familiar with.
The actual writing/storytelling was excellent and the way the puzzle fit together at the end was satisfying. I love an ambigious ending so that was a plus for me. But I just could not get past the excruciatingly slow pacing.
To the right reader, this will be an instant favorite - unfortunately, that reader is just not me.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Homophobia, Death of parent, Blood, Gore, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Minor: Gaslighting, Grief, Excrement, Mental illness, Medical content, Animal death, Torture, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts
smallspoonbigfork's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Vomit and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual content
bluebirdegf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, War, and Torture
Moderate: Gore, Death, Slavery, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, and Confinement
Minor: Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Medical content, and Grief