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yvo_about_books's review against another edition
3.75
“To think our young people are capable of what we saw chills the blood for a very long time.”
It's true that I don't tend to read a lot of proper horror titles, but I saw Fantasticland mentioned and I couldn't resist adding it to my TBR. I have a weak spot for an amusement park setting, and there was just something about this premise that sounded both terrifying and absolutely fascinating. I have to say this before I continue though: this book isn't for everyone and you definitely have to suspend your disbelief to be able to get a positive reading experience. If you are able to do that, make sure to brace yourself for a extremely twisted ride! Seriously, this basically reads like Lord Of The Flies on acid, but set in an amusement park after a hurricane hits. I wasn't expecting the non fiction vibe of this story though; Fantasticland is written in a way that makes you feel like you are reading the result of an investigation by a journalist. This journalist helps narrate the story, although the plot mainly consists in first-person accounts of people present at the park. The interviews are presented in a way that slowly reveals just how bad things got before they were finally rescued... And boy, things get properly twisted and graphic long before that final page. Torture, mutilation and even cannibalism; nothing is too much in this story. What I did find a bit lacking was the explanation of how things escalated so quickly after the hurricane hit... I was expecting something more elaborated, or at least more of an answer to that question. That said, I can't deny that this was a perfect Halloween read.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
swalk's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Stalking, Murder, and Abandonment
finleyfrogreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
toadtornado's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
madisonhh666's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Slavery, Medical content, and Stalking