Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

81 reviews

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Child death, Death, Animal death, Cannibalism, Blood, Body horror, and Grief

Moderate: Medical content, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Excrement, Vomit, Confinement, and Drug use

coryyalva's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

3.75

There is so much to be said about this book that I do not even know where to begin.

While Monstrilio didn't take me on the journey I expected it to, it did fill me with endless emotions as it touched on love, loss, grief, and labels and expectations. This book spoke to me in a way I had not expected it to.

(Please look up the trigger warnings first, but....) go read Monstrilio!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Blood, Child death, Gore, Animal death, Violence, Death, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cannibalism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Medical content, Sexual violence, Abandonment, and Sexual content

Minor: Drug use

minamouse's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Gore, and Sexual content

Minor: Child death

nadstorro's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Book about grief. Good storyline. My first dark, gothic horror book. Sad. Ending was great. They let him go- him being Montrilio which in literary sense it was the grief of losing their son. They accepted his death/they accepted that Monstrilio was an animal and could not keep him and that it will only hurt him and themselves, so they let him go. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Grief, Murder, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death

tjmitrovic's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

Dark, original, wonderful 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Cannibalism

Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Child death, Murder, Grief, and Animal death

jaylinsoto's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

I already know this book is going to be one that I think about often. I found myself feeling seen in a lot of small ways (the use of “mami”, M eating picadillo, etc) and I found the different portrayals of love, acceptance, and grief to be very thought provoking. This is also the first book I’ve read where each of the characters queerness were less of a plot point and more just a part of who they were. I loved that. It felt so impactful for the queerness to be unimportant/inconsequential in the whole theme of the book. I tabbed the hell out of this book and I think everyone should definitely read it! I’m excited for more books from this author!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, and Grief

mortiffa's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Grief, and Blood

thehomiemona's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Blood, Animal death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

smokingintherain's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Cannibalism and Violence

savvy999's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

A whirlwind of emotions. Subtly dazzling and rich. The distinct and provocative voices of the characters emphasize this complicated portrait of just how human a monster can be. We see M from all perspectives, in all of the viscera and gore and introspection that he entails. Grief transforms and makes new the bodies of those involved. Loss of the son, grief at not being the son that was lost, grief from up close and afar. “The monster stands at the borders of the possible”(quote from cohens monster theory, which definitely  enhances a reading of this book) Monstrilio engages with the possibility of constructing a life and living it borrowed, that born of tradition/folklore and aided by science this being could be walking alongside others. but also stands with the pain of living amongst without feeling full,  of being an outsider in their space and body. The possibility of embracing one’s own monstrosity is daunting and dangerous, but to M is ultimately a triumph of spirit. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Death, Body horror, Animal death, Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Child death