Reviews tagging 'Mass/school shootings'

Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven

14 reviews

oprah_wimpy's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Perfect thriller read. Fast paced and full of gore. Spaced out enough that it's not overwhelming to the overall story. Loved the style of the book being interviews with victims and perpetrators after a massive disaster. Well written voices for each character in such short chapters. I blasted through this book and had such a fun time. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

papa_tabby's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

I loved this book. Hands down the best chapter is Interview 18. I couldn't stop reading, easily one of the most tense pages I've read in years. 

I also love how almost every character is a little psychotic and clearly trying to make themselves sound less bad or downplay their roles in the violence at the theme park. This is something I like that Mike Bockoven does, he doesn't allow the characters to get away with portraying themselves sympathetically, he undermines their claims in either the next chapter or two later. 

There's also the mystery of who are the serial killers walking in the park and how much they actually played in escalating the violence. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing and Gaslighting

k8scoll's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.75

I thought this book was such an interesting take on a very common theme: what happens to humanity when the worst happens. The backdrop of an amusement park, and the interview style made me want to keep reading. I finished the book wanting more perspectives, but that wouldn’t have added to the story itself. Loved it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

errie's review against another edition

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape and Cannibalism

effaly's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

Overall it's a good story, but unfortunately, the style in which it was written makes it a pain to read sometimes.

The story is revealed through interviews with several people who were there after Sadie hit Fantasticland. At first, I really liked the idea. It made it all feel so much more personal to hear from the characters directly what it was like and what each and everyone saw, thought and felt. However, it became very quickly very repetitive. There are events and people that were described over and over again, to the point where they lost their "punch". When you read some stuff the first time, it's shocking. But after the fifth time, you just want to hear about something else. 

And then there's the misogynistic tone in almost every chapter. 😒 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Grief, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Excrement, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

mousetrap's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Mass/school shootings, and Gaslighting

Minor: Vomit, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, and Classism

zgreads's review

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

datewithathriller's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Kidnapping, and Alcohol

delekelll's review

4.0

Really quite good. Disturbing. Gory. Unsettling, if you're into that sort of thing. These teenagers act in enraging ways. I guess if I was there I would have to suck it up. I wonder what this author thinks about Lord of the Flies

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Sexual harassment

magical_mads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Alcohol

Minor: Cannibalism