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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
dark
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
A fun time
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really cool feminist horror! My best friend recommended this book to me because basically the entire premise is "holy shit my best friend is missing—let me literally unleash CHAOS in order to find her and bring her back to me." I love books that revolve around the importance of platonic relationships—it's always so refreshing and necessary! The book does have a romantic relationship start to unfold around midway through the book which I wasn't super invested in, but hey! It's queer at least, so bonus points.
This book is pretty gruesome and nasty to read, especially for YA, so word of caution to those with sensitive stomachs. Otherwise though, I thought it was really unique to write a body-horror story afflicting a group of teenage girls. Normally in horror books and film, the women are rendered in a way that makes their terror and their suffering ~sexy~ to the reader/viewer. This book is the complete opposite. The Tox takes your body and makes it foreign—oozing eyes, second spines, and strange, mottled skin is basically the norm here, and it's all thoroughly unsexy. I was a big fan of how Powers let her characters be gross, gruesome, and realistic beings. Though they mutate to become less and less human, strangely enough, their characterizations became even more so.
The ending was a bit disappointing, as I feel like everything was building and building only to wrap up way too abruptly. Partially makes me wonder if that means there's a sequel in the works? I feel like I need more closure, and I didn't really get any! Still worth reading though if you're into horror, YA, queer books, celebrations of platonic relationships, or any combination of the above.
This book is pretty gruesome and nasty to read, especially for YA, so word of caution to those with sensitive stomachs. Otherwise though, I thought it was really unique to write a body-horror story afflicting a group of teenage girls. Normally in horror books and film, the women are rendered in a way that makes their terror and their suffering ~sexy~ to the reader/viewer. This book is the complete opposite. The Tox takes your body and makes it foreign—oozing eyes, second spines, and strange, mottled skin is basically the norm here, and it's all thoroughly unsexy. I was a big fan of how Powers let her characters be gross, gruesome, and realistic beings. Though they mutate to become less and less human, strangely enough, their characterizations became even more so.
The ending was a bit disappointing, as I feel like everything was building and building only to wrap up way too abruptly. Partially makes me wonder if that means there's a sequel in the works? I feel like I need more closure, and I didn't really get any! Still worth reading though if you're into horror, YA, queer books, celebrations of platonic relationships, or any combination of the above.
3.75 !!
ok so don't get me wrong, i'm loving whatever this is, but this could've been SO much better. the plot had so much potential and it would've SLAPPED SO MUCH if it were more detailed and longer.
all girls school and for some reason there's a virus that makes them shift and drop dead?? the symptoms were so disturbing that reading about them made me feel uncomfortable??? like yes i am here for that idea. but the virus could've been better explained, or maybe the characters could have a better relationship. like i know these three girls love each other to death, but why??? like give me something to understand why they are the way they are???
but yes i loved this
ok so don't get me wrong, i'm loving whatever this is, but this could've been SO much better. the plot had so much potential and it would've SLAPPED SO MUCH if it were more detailed and longer.
all girls school and for some reason there's a virus that makes them shift and drop dead?? the symptoms were so disturbing that reading about them made me feel uncomfortable??? like yes i am here for that idea. but the virus could've been better explained, or maybe the characters could have a better relationship. like i know these three girls love each other to death, but why??? like give me something to understand why they are the way they are???
but yes i loved this
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
•Breath in breathe out
Keep my eyes open as long as I can I want to see I want to look I want
the woods to fall away
the ocean to crawl up to my feet
the island to come drifting in on the tide...•
.
.
This is one of the best books I've read this year, but I don't think it's a book for everyone. It's cruel, has a lot of shades and is morally grey. You may or not may think as the characters do, but you end understanding all the criticizable things they do, all the decisions they make, even though they are wrong for us. But they are not wrong for them. It's a story about survival, and only the best survive in this cases.
So no, it's not a book for everyone, and that's what makes it perfect.
Keep my eyes open as long as I can I want to see I want to look I want
the woods to fall away
the ocean to crawl up to my feet
the island to come drifting in on the tide...•
.
.
This is one of the best books I've read this year, but I don't think it's a book for everyone. It's cruel, has a lot of shades and is morally grey. You may or not may think as the characters do, but you end understanding all the criticizable things they do, all the decisions they make, even though they are wrong for us. But they are not wrong for them. It's a story about survival, and only the best survive in this cases.
So no, it's not a book for everyone, and that's what makes it perfect.
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Interesting concept that’s unfortunately not explored as much as I wish it was. Main character is a massive hypocrite
Spent the day reading this one for YA book club and I’ll be honest, I wish I didn’t! Very exciting and fast-paced from the start, characters are pushed to the extremes (possibly not acting as people would in real life?) and the last 100 pages gone indulgently off the rails. If there’s a sequel, I will read the wiki synopsis.