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year23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Going in, I knew this wasn't a horror book (it really isn't, I'm not sure why it's being marketed as such, this is not a scary book unless you have fears around grief). I think it falls into speculative fiction or even magical realism more than horror. There are horrific type things that happen, but that's the case in any book dealing with tragic events, particularly grief.
An excellent queer novel exploring complicated grief. I kept thinking about how there isn't a word for a parent who loses a child - and I think this book explores why that is, the horror of that experience and trying to place yourself when a key relationship that defines you is no more. How that grief also reverberates throughout a family system, a community, and does become its own entity, and in this case, a new being.
I loved the multiple perspectives/pov's - culminating in M's. So many metaphors at play in this story - would be cool to sit in on a class breaking it down.
While this may seem high-brow - far from it. Clear, evocative writing, no purple prose to be found.
Finally - I've been looking for a book that makes me genuinely laugh and there is a scene in here that I just think about and crack up. Personally, that's a feat in any novel - for a story with so many unreal things happening, moments like these, it still felt very human, grounded. This is such a good book - highly recommend to anyone.
An excellent queer novel exploring complicated grief. I kept thinking about how there isn't a word for a parent who loses a child - and I think this book explores why that is, the horror of that experience and trying to place yourself when a key relationship that defines you is no more. How that grief also reverberates throughout a family system, a community, and does become its own entity, and in this case, a new being.
I loved the multiple perspectives/pov's - culminating in M's. So many metaphors at play in this story - would be cool to sit in on a class breaking it down.
While this may seem high-brow - far from it. Clear, evocative writing, no purple prose to be found.
Finally - I've been looking for a book that makes me genuinely laugh and there is a scene in here that I just think about and crack up. Personally, that's a feat in any novel - for a story with so many unreal things happening, moments like these, it still felt very human, grounded. This is such a good book - highly recommend to anyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Chronic illness, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Child death, Gore, and Grief
sweetsimplenothing's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, and Animal death
Moderate: Medical content, Sexual content, and Grief
Minor: Confinement, Death, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
scytheria's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Chronic illness, Body horror, Cannibalism, Animal death, Death, and Child death
Minor: Death of parent
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