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k20m13d's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Drug use, Death of parent, Child abuse, Murder, Suicide, and Blood
ilaxaria's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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: Alcohol, Blood, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Murder, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm
Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Excrement
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Violence, and Pedophilia
percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Horrifyingly tragic, A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay is filled to the brim with terrible scenes, all told from the point of view of the youngest character to witness everything. I just felt so bad the entire time reading this for not just Marjorie and Merry, who were just kids, but also characters like Sarah and Ken; who while aren't blameless entirely, are forced to witness a lot of this horror with seemingly no agency to fight against it.
I also felt really bad that the one who I felt more creeped out by was not Marjorie, with her gruesome stories and actions, but Merry, who seemed to take glee from her and her sister's trauma. Merry should be a somewhat reliable narrator as a kid, aside from her shoddy memory. There isn't a reason to suspect her of leaving things out. However, I felt wary all the same as Merry became known for being an exaggerator and a storyteller. There's a few reveals later on in the book that highlight this fact and it just made me very suspicious of someone who is just a very traumatized child/person.
Tremblay has done a fantastic job here with this book. A reader questioning a narrator's true feelings makes for good conversation and deeper reading. I am so torn with Merry as a character. My initial feelings were as stated above: Merry is creepy for the way she expresses her thoughts on the situation and her sister. However, after I finished the book, I couldn't help but think that maybe Merry was just trying to find her own way of understanding what all happened in her childhood, everything that led up to the greatest tragedy of her life. Afterward, all I could see was a girl-now-adult, still struggling to figure out why her sister acted the way she did, what her sister could've been thinking throughout it all.
When I started this book, the summary had not prepared me for the gruesome descriptions Tremblay employed, nor how sad a story this really was. I just felt so bad for Marjorie, more than anything. She didn't deserve anything that happened to her, and needed to be taken out of the home and cameras that were definitely making things worse. I am curious to know of other's opinions of the portrayal of schizophrenia in this book. I did not touch on it as I am not an expert on the condition, nor do I have the condition.
I also felt really bad that the one who I felt more creeped out by was not Marjorie, with her gruesome stories and actions, but Merry, who seemed to take glee from her and her sister's trauma. Merry should be a somewhat reliable narrator as a kid, aside from her shoddy memory. There isn't a reason to suspect her of leaving things out. However, I felt wary all the same as Merry became known for being an exaggerator and a storyteller. There's a few reveals later on in the book that highlight this fact and it just made me very suspicious of someone who is just a very traumatized child/person.
Tremblay has done a fantastic job here with this book. A reader questioning a narrator's true feelings makes for good conversation and deeper reading. I am so torn with Merry as a character. My initial feelings were as stated above: Merry is creepy for the way she expresses her thoughts on the situation and her sister. However, after I finished the book, I couldn't help but think that maybe Merry was just trying to find her own way of understanding what all happened in her childhood, everything that led up to the greatest tragedy of her life. Afterward, all I could see was a girl-now-adult, still struggling to figure out why her sister acted the way she did, what her sister could've been thinking throughout it all.
When I started this book, the summary had not prepared me for the gruesome descriptions Tremblay employed, nor how sad a story this really was. I just felt so bad for Marjorie, more than anything. She didn't deserve anything that happened to her, and needed to be taken out of the home and cameras that were definitely making things worse. I am curious to know of other's opinions of the portrayal of schizophrenia in this book. I did not touch on it as I am not an expert on the condition, nor do I have the condition.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Blood, Violence, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Self harm, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Drug use, Alcohol, and Child abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse and Confinement
ink_at_heart's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The plot and characters of this book moved (and scared) me like no book has in a long time. I usually steer clear of possession horror—because it either doesn’t scare me at all or it scares me too much—but I decided to read this one because I kept seeing it recommended on TikTok and curiosity got the best of me. I’m glad I read it—but, man, this book wrecked me.
In A Head Full of Ghosts, Tremblay really establishes and reminds the reader of the bond between Merry and Marjorie, which is what really got to me in this book (though I might have an innate weakness to this story since I’m an older sister myself). Sure, Tremblay isn’t shy on the horror end of things either—I had to take a week-long break from reading it after I finished Chapter 11 because it freaked me out so bad—but the relationship between the sisters and the ending were what really broke me and broke my heart.
In A Head Full of Ghosts, Tremblay really establishes and reminds the reader of the bond between Merry and Marjorie, which is what really got to me in this book (though I might have an innate weakness to this story since I’m an older sister myself). Sure, Tremblay isn’t shy on the horror end of things either—I had to take a week-long break from reading it after I finished Chapter 11 because it freaked me out so bad—but the relationship between the sisters and the ending were what really broke me and broke my heart.
It’s been about two weeks since I’ve finished this book, but I still think about it—and I have a feeling it’ll be one of those books that always stays with me.
So, long story short, if you’re looking for a possession horror novel that’s both scary as hell and heartbreaking as hell—look no further!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Blood
Moderate: Drug use, Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Excrement
madarauchiha's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️
It was ok. I had some hopes for it but the premise didn't live up to how it played out. It was an interesting twist? I don't know why I'm saying that like a question. It does the thing where it tells you the twist and then explains it over the course of a few chapters. I don't think it wa a good plot twist to the whole possession thing. I feel like this plot could have been done better by someone else.
It was pretty sad and grim in a realism sort of way. I don't think I felt tense or scared reading it at any point. The namedropping of other horror media in the book felt like the author going 'see? see? this is totally scary and in the same vein and stuff! Isn't this so cool?!!'
Oh, and if you're looking for straight up supernatural horror, look elsewhere.
content warnings:
minor: animal death, death, body horror, sexual content, abortion, misogyny, murder, poison, suicide attempt,
medium: death, teeth trauma, gaslighting, poisoning, murder, parental death, smoking tobacco, genital trauma, dogs, alcohol abuse, self harm, h p lovecraft mention, peer abuse / bullying, injuries, bone fractures, gore, violence,
major: religion catholicism, misogyny, death, bullying, peer abuse, gore, death threats, emotional abuse, vomit, emetophobia, sexual content, menstruation, blood, unsanitary, religious abuse, exorcisms, child abuse, homophobic f slur, hate groups, poisoning, familicide,
It was ok. I had some hopes for it but the premise didn't live up to how it played out. It was an interesting twist? I don't know why I'm saying that like a question. It does the thing where it tells you the twist and then explains it over the course of a few chapters. I don't think it wa a good plot twist to the whole possession thing. I feel like this plot could have been done better by someone else.
It was pretty sad and grim in a realism sort of way. I don't think I felt tense or scared reading it at any point. The namedropping of other horror media in the book felt like the author going 'see? see? this is totally scary and in the same vein and stuff! Isn't this so cool?!!'
Oh, and if you're looking for straight up supernatural horror, look elsewhere.
content warnings:
minor: animal death, death, body horror, sexual content, abortion, misogyny, murder, poison, suicide attempt,
medium: death, teeth trauma, gaslighting, poisoning, murder, parental death, smoking tobacco, genital trauma, dogs, alcohol abuse, self harm, h p lovecraft mention, peer abuse / bullying, injuries, bone fractures, gore, violence,
major: religion catholicism, misogyny, death, bullying, peer abuse, gore, death threats, emotional abuse, vomit, emetophobia, sexual content, menstruation, blood, unsanitary, religious abuse, exorcisms, child abuse, homophobic f slur, hate groups, poisoning, familicide,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcoholism, Self harm, Bullying, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Sexual content, Abortion, Murder, Misogyny, and Suicide attempt
the_escapist's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I can't remember the last time I finished a book in less than 12 hours, but this had me gripped so tight I couldn't stop reading.
I loved the underlying tension throughout that builds and builds, loved how the author set up the story so you're not sure whether it's supposed to be an actual demonic possession, mental illness, or whether the sister is faking it. I think it was actually a very wise decision because, in a lot of ways, having a definite supernatural element made explicit from the start takes a lot of the scare factor out of the story because it stops feeling real and grounded (for me, anyway).
I've never really read/watched a possession story that felt so tense and messed up but believably so – that's what makes this work so well. Nothing feels too ridiculous. The characters feel like real people, the setting feels like a real setting, even the TV crew feels like a real crew. The POV was also really fun – it's written in the first person and during the flashbacks to her childhood, the author has a way of writing through the main character's eyes to really make her feel like a real child – all her wants and (mis)understandings and the things that she picks upon.
If it wasn't for the unique concept, I wouldn't have picked this up. I wouldn't have given it a go if it was just a straightforward possession story. But I really liked the idea of the uncertainty of it all and thought it was executed brilliantly. It's the first horror book I've read in ages. Ever since I finished it, every now and then I find my thoughts drifting back to it. Especially the ending. I really enjoyed how it ended.
I loved the underlying tension throughout that builds and builds, loved how the author set up the story so you're not sure whether it's supposed to be an actual demonic possession, mental illness, or whether the sister is faking it. I think it was actually a very wise decision because, in a lot of ways, having a definite supernatural element made explicit from the start takes a lot of the scare factor out of the story because it stops feeling real and grounded (for me, anyway).
I've never really read/watched a possession story that felt so tense and messed up but believably so – that's what makes this work so well. Nothing feels too ridiculous. The characters feel like real people, the setting feels like a real setting, even the TV crew feels like a real crew. The POV was also really fun – it's written in the first person and during the flashbacks to her childhood, the author has a way of writing through the main character's eyes to really make her feel like a real child – all her wants and (mis)understandings and the things that she picks upon.
If it wasn't for the unique concept, I wouldn't have picked this up. I wouldn't have given it a go if it was just a straightforward possession story. But I really liked the idea of the uncertainty of it all and thought it was executed brilliantly. It's the first horror book I've read in ages. Ever since I finished it, every now and then I find my thoughts drifting back to it. Especially the ending. I really enjoyed how it ended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Excrement
Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Drug use
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