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juniper_reads_things's review against another edition
5.0
This book is like a fresh mix of horror short stories and modern fairy tales. I liked this. It’s grotesquely traumatizing.
I’m going to list the table of contents and list my individual ratings there.
1). The Head.
Nicname: Toilet Baby.
1 star rating, 9/10 for traumatizing.
It was gross, I hated it. I really love the author’s writing style though. This was one of the tales that felt like a modern fairy tale, because something weird was happening, the woman told her family about it and they didn’t think she was insane.
2). The Embodiment.
Nicname: blood clot birth control.
3 star rating, 1000/10 for traumatizing.
Woman takes 6 months of birth control, finds herself pregnant because she took birth control…wrong? This is a perfect story to describe what it’s like to be a woman. You’re trying your best, but it’s not working and somehow you’re single handedly ruining everything around you.
3). Cursed Bunny.
Nicname: none
3 stars, 3/10 trauma.
I didn’t have a made up title for this one, it was pretty memorable, if not super remarkable/traumatic. This one was a little predictable and wasn’t what I would expect from the title story in a book of traumatizing stories.
4). The Frozen Finger.
Nicname: swamp crash.
10/10 stars, 0/10 for traumatizing.
This is my perfect horror story. Didn’t see where it was going, dramatic reveal, scary times for me. This one was probably my favorite.
5). Snare
Nicname: animal/child abuse for gold
4 stars, 10/10 traumatized.
This was another one that felt like a modern fairy tale for me, in terms of animal abuse and child abuse. It’s there, it’s awful, but the author doesn’t dwell on it. Feels like a brothers grim tale.
6). Goodbye, my Love
Nicname: i love robots
2 stars, 5/10 traumatic.
Traumatic ending, but I was bored during this story the most.
7). Scars
Nicname: i escaped a dragon for this??
5 stars, 7/10 trauma. This story is great, felt like another fairy tale. I loved it.
8). Home Sweet Home
Nicname: ghost building
4 stars, 3/10 traumatic.
Another great horror story, no notes, super creepy.
9). Ruler of the Winds and Sands
Nicname: the princess and the heavy lifting or all that for fucking nothing.
5 stars, 2/10 traumatic.
Another classic fairy tale vibe, i loved it, no notes.
10). Reunion.
Nicname: oh shit
3 stars, 4/10 traumatic
This story is traumatic in that it beautifully describes generational trauma, childhood trauma ans how adults cope with their own childhood trauma. This one felt personal for me, having survived some shit myself, and it felt comforting and heartbreaking all at the same time.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Incest, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Medical trauma
v_verdesoto's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Moderate: Excrement, Infertility, Pregnancy, Death, Blood, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
the_other_yvonne's review against another edition
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Body horror, and Incest
shewouldstay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Excrement, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Car accident
fox_at_the_circus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
The different stories all adress and discuss trauma each in their own way and metaphors and within their genre, it was a really good read. I also appreciate, that in "Reunion" the narrator actually mentions trauma and what it does/can do to people. I don't see this direct mention a lot in horror stories, and it was a nice surprise while fitting into that story well. It also was a nice conclusion to the book, summarising the theme of this book at the end.
My favourite stories of this collection are "The Frozen Finger" for it's pure horror vibes that unfold throught the story, and "Scars" for main character and the growth he goes through.
Graphic: Misogyny, Child death, Suicide, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Medical content, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Dementia, Car accident, Death of parent, and Incest
niamphoone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Miscarriage, Gore, Grief, Child death, Blood, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Excrement, Medical content, and Self harm
aliteracja's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Incest and Pregnancy
thomasdingemanse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Body horror, Miscarriage, Blood, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Animal death, Death of parent, Sexism, Abandonment, Medical content, and Car accident
astrangewind'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The first two stories are the extremes of horror - the gross, the bloody, the fucked up. The rest of the stories are a bit more mellow, which is more suited to my tastes, but I found that I didn't really click with most of them, or understand the ending. (Although I have been known in the past to miss some crucial detail or other. Short stories aren't generally my thing.) Either way, it was a decently quick read, and I did enjoy it, although not to the extent that others have, although I don't think that's the fault of either the author or the translator.
I dunno, I just feel like horror story collections feel the need to cram in every possible trigger they possibly can, every possible gross or bloody thing, to make a compelling story. And that is frankly untrue, and it feels a lot like shock value when it does happen.
Graphic: Pregnancy, Medical content, Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Vomit, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Gore, and Suicide
Minor: Rape, War, Colonisation, and Incest
emk5's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Confinement, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, and Gore
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Incest