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spacebras's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well written and has a strong message :) but for me it's fine and not earth shattering. It's not so much <i>horror</i> horror as it is magical realism. It turns from slight horror to domestic fiction pretty quickly and the pace drops from there. And I think that misunderstanding soured the story for me because it was not what I was expecting, but unfortunately it wasn't able to recapture my attention.
I'm not rating it lower because of what I wished it was, but how to never really got to me in the end. Maybe it was the tone? I'm not sure. I can understand why people are into it. But I wouldn't call it "genuinely scary" like the blurbs tot. Outside of the first few scenes it's really not. And it doesn't have to be- it's just promoted as such
I'm not rating it lower because of what I wished it was, but how to never really got to me in the end. Maybe it was the tone? I'm not sure. I can understand why people are into it. But I wouldn't call it "genuinely scary" like the blurbs tot. Outside of the first few scenes it's really not. And it doesn't have to be- it's just promoted as such
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child death, and Medical content
Moderate: Cannibalism and Animal death
In the first scene, a child's dead body is torn open by his mother and a piece of his lung is taken out. It is graphic, but is the most graphic the story will get. And not done with ill intention (it's complicated)gabriellerza's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Animal death and Child death
kalldaff's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Gruesome and unsettling, but at its core a story about grief, loss, disability, and alienation through the lens of a monster novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Child death, Body horror, Animal death, and Gore
Moderate: Drug use
frogggirl2's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book starts out in the middle of a devastating, gut-wrenching, unforgettable scene. It progresses meditatively through loss, family (and found family) reconfiguration in the aftermath, and finally, some sense of acceptance. This was moving, unique, interesting and profound.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
biblizo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Body horror
ghostingarden's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual content and Animal death
dezaraemd's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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? Yes
4.5
I wish it hadn’t ended so abruptly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Animal death, Gore, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Infidelity
Minor: Ableism
sofiadanielle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Hm. Interesting read, for sure. Also compelling, especially in the aspects of grief and child loss, plus the intricacies of relationships (both familial and romantic/sexual).
Did not really expect a lot of the sexual aspects written? Also don’t know that these inclusions did much for the story for me??
The shift to M’s POV was probably the strongest part written; Lena’s part dragged on for me, and so did half of Joseph’s. The pacing was definitely a bit strange with the big time jump that wasn’t really explained or prompted.
Anything in the 3 star range felt harsh. 4 stars, I suppose, though I can see how people didn’t like this book and rated it lower. I do wish I liked it more.
Also!!! I don’t think the horror is heavy in this book; I found it mild, in terms of the fact that one of the characters is Literally A Monster.
Did not really expect a lot of the sexual aspects written? Also don’t know that these inclusions did much for the story for me??
The shift to M’s POV was probably the strongest part written; Lena’s part dragged on for me, and so did half of Joseph’s. The pacing was definitely a bit strange with the big time jump that wasn’t really explained or prompted.
Anything in the 3 star range felt harsh. 4 stars, I suppose, though I can see how people didn’t like this book and rated it lower. I do wish I liked it more.
Also!!! I don’t think the horror is heavy in this book; I found it mild, in terms of the fact that one of the characters is Literally A Monster.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Animal death, Sexual content, and Gore
rachmendo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
It's been a month since I finished this and it's still on my mind. Hauntingly beautiful. Will absolutely read whatever Córdova puts out next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
threemjen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Cannibalism, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, and Animal death