Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones

7 reviews

killmoore_'s review

dark fast-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

3.75

I loved this - the writing style was perfect for our MC, and led me to imagine an ending that was far better than the one we were given. Fantastic, fast paced and easy to read up until the last chapter.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Child death, Murder, Blood, Death, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

traa's review

dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• 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: Violence, Car accident, Child death, Death, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Gore, Stalking, Grief, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gun violence

Minor: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

alisonfaith426's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Stalking, Violence, Vomit, and Body horror

Moderate: Car accident and Gun violence

albernikolauras's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

In this book, you follow a group of high schoolers who have decided to play a prank on their friend, starring a mannequin they loved for a whole summer. And then they start to die.

I was not ready for this book. You follow one of the teenagers as the plot progresses, and while it sounds like a cliche slasher, it was so much more. Definitely one to read if you aren't too squeamish.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Violence, and Car accident

Moderate: Suicide and Body horror

becca_w_'s review

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol, Bullying, Cursing, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, and Vomit

cheye13's review

dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.0

I think I took too long to read this one, and the tension slipped right through my fingers. I'm not typically a horror fan, but I didn't find this all that scary. I'd call it more of a psychological thriller.

I did go in without having read the full synopsis, which I think really helped. I quite enjoyed the front half, not seeing a lot of the reveals coming. I really appreciated the nuances within the content: Sawyer is very much an Indigenous teen boy with a very specific experience, but he also has a very Everyman vibe to him. He has parents, friends, hopes, dreams – just like everyone else. It feels like any of his friends could step into his role and the story would be the same, which brings the mannequin concept full circle, imo.

The writing style and voice is very unique; it fits the story so well and is very fun to read. It's very evocative of a film and also a campfire/sleepover story, but still takes moments to use written word to full effect. There are a few sentences that stopped me short to either send a chill down my spine or an ache through my heart.

I think the writing style was spectacular, but the brevity and predictability of the storyline crossed with the universailty of the main perspective didn't really let me sink my claws in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Gore, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, and Grief

Minor: Abandonment, Body horror, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts

There is an early line in which Sawyer mentions he "stopped taking his meds" but it is never revisited or explained. Treads a very thin line toward an ableist trope.

jennym6's review

dark tense fast-paced

3.5

 One thing that surprised me was how authentically SGJ was able to capture the voice of a teen/ya. It was witty and fun to be in their head and very often when authors write from the perspective of a younger demographic, I feel I can always tell I'm reading the words of an adult. As far as the story goes, I felt pretty lukewarm about it and believe me when I say I wish I loved it as much as others. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Gore