Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Die leuchtenden Toten by Caitlin Starling

93 reviews

thelittlestrobot's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, Grief, and Death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

nic1894's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I really like the writing style and I would read more of this author's work. It was also fantastically tense and really interesting concept.
SPOILERS
However, there were some issues with the pacing, plot and characters. The pacing dragged at points. It felt like there were too many plot points, with some being underdeveloped and others over. The potential body horror of the suit, the spores and the tunneler was missed. The capitalist commentary was interesting, but again underdeveloped. What the main issue was that it felt like the author didn't truly understand how terrible Em is. Lots of potential and good writing style, lots of missed opportunities.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting

hzamrzla's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I loved the premise and voice of this book, but the pacing and actual plot were so hard to stick with. There is only one REAL conflict: whether or not Gyre trusts Em, and we revisit it about 8 times with no real resolution. Reluctant trust, big betrayal, insistence on doing it alone, horrible failure due to the decision to do it alone, rinse, repeat. 

Specifically, I got so frustrated with Gyre by the end because of her

constantly refusing to let Em guide/medicate/STOP her, doing something stupid, and then being in a rage that Em didn’t guide/medicate/STOP her

. This happening once or twice seemed reasonable, and then for it to KEEP happening, as the only source of action in the book, felt contrived. 

Also, I hate

“turns out it was all in your head”

books. 

It got old, which is sad. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, and Abandonment

hailstorm3812's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

This is not my typical read but I actually liked it. It is tense, interesting, and a little trippy. I am not entirely satisfied on how the mystery ends up but the characterization and relationships more than make up for it. I really like the main character and think everyone reacts in ridiculous but realistic ways of a person in these circumstances. I had to stop listening a few times because I was stressed out, but I still really enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Abandonment, Death of parent, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Suicidal thoughts

aranmn's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• 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

4.0

What I liked: the atmosphere, the horror aspect, the sci-fi elements, the originality of the setting. What I didn't like: the characters; they read very juvenile and melodramatic. 

If you can get past the characters and like slow-paced, psychological horror, I would say this novel is totally worth a read, though. I personally enjoyed it quite a lot even though I can see why many people don't.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Body horror, Abandonment, and Gore

Moderate: Vomit

disnelyse's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Confinement, and Body horror

Moderate: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

smarzipan's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death of parent, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Drug use, Medical trauma, Vomit, Death, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, and Grief

cryptidenthusiast's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror

marleens's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I enjoyed the setting of the story. Despite the detailed descriptions of the spaces, I did have some trouble properly picturing everything, but I liked the overall sense of darkness and isolation and small spaces to squeeze through. The survival element of dwindling resources was well done. The tension was high throughout, mainly because of all the emotions of main character Gyre. I was let down by the end though. In the second half the scary creepy vibes increased, and that got my hopes up for a satisfying ending but I didn’t really feel like we got that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Body horror, Vomit, Death, Gore, Death of parent, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I am fine and definitely not afraid
*checks over shoulder*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Vomit, Death of parent, Abandonment, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail