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frantic_vampire's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a really fun read! I honestly don’t know why I waited so long to read it. I loved Perle and Dejean so much! I loved getting to see the queerplatonic relationship that developed between them over the course of the book. They made this beautiful connection that led to them making a pod based on trust and a willingness to help those that need a place to recover or rest or that need a home. They just kind of started collecting people little by little. I also loved just how queer this whole book was! It was really nice. Our Bloody Pearl is getting a four out of five stars from me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Body horror, Confinement, Torture, Trafficking, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Ableism
numerous_bees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I thought the author's decision to write from the point of view of a (non-human) character who actively wants to eat human organs was a bold choice, but within a dozen pages, I'm completely on Pearle's side.
Our narrator has a very strong voice and a definite worldview that makes working out what she's talking about sometimes tricky but often rewarding. Human artefacts are sketched in the sparest possible detail, which can be frustrating - ships can fly, I think, but Pearle doesn't care so we never find out - but it's consistent and feels true to the character. We spend most our time in Pearl's head and she's got a lot to think about as she navigates her misconceptions and biases, and the reasons that sirens and humans have been literally at each others' throats for generations.
Other reviewers have commented that Kian is a fairly weak antagonist, but she casts a long shadow and Pearle spends a lot of the book struggling with the physical and psychological aftermath of the abuse Kian subjected them to. When they finally, inevitablely, meet in the third act, that fear overcomes Pearle in a horribly realistic way; the reality of their abuser is so much worse than the memory.
The only downsides for me were a fairly clunky paragraph where Dejean explains the spectrum of human sexuality and pronoun use, and a somewhat passive build up to the climax, comprising Pearle mostly yelling Dejean's name while he did stuff around them.
The "pronoun talk" is perhaps more of a product of the age of the book; I thought it was inelegant and stood out in contrast to the casual acceptance of queerness throughout, but it was brief and no real harm done. The passivity in the buildup to the finale may well be a realistic reflection of the paralysing terror in confronting an abuser and the freeze/fawn reaction, but it was a little frustrating to see the brilliant, ferocious Pearle nearly damselled in their own story.
But these really are more or less minor criticisms, given disproportionate weight by how much I enjoyed the rest of my time with this book.
Overall, I liked it. I'd recommend it to friends and I'd read it again. Storygraph has listed three other publications by this author, two of which are set in Pearle's world and which I'll be adding to my TBR pile imminently.
Our narrator has a very strong voice and a definite worldview that makes working out what she's talking about sometimes tricky but often rewarding. Human artefacts are sketched in the sparest possible detail, which can be frustrating - ships can fly, I think, but Pearle doesn't care so we never find out - but it's consistent and feels true to the character. We spend most our time in Pearl's head and she's got a lot to think about as she navigates her misconceptions and biases, and the reasons that sirens and humans have been literally at each others' throats for generations.
Other reviewers have commented that Kian is a fairly weak antagonist, but she casts a long shadow and Pearle spends a lot of the book struggling with the physical and psychological aftermath of the abuse Kian subjected them to. When they finally, inevitablely, meet in the third act, that fear overcomes Pearle in a horribly realistic way; the reality of their abuser is so much worse than the memory.
The only downsides for me were a fairly clunky paragraph where Dejean explains the spectrum of human sexuality and pronoun use, and a somewhat passive build up to the climax, comprising Pearle mostly yelling Dejean's name while he did stuff around them.
The "pronoun talk" is perhaps more of a product of the age of the book; I thought it was inelegant and stood out in contrast to the casual acceptance of queerness throughout, but it was brief and no real harm done. The passivity in the buildup to the finale may well be a realistic reflection of the paralysing terror in confronting an abuser and the freeze/fawn reaction, but it was a little frustrating to see the brilliant, ferocious Pearle nearly damselled in their own story.
But these really are more or less minor criticisms, given disproportionate weight by how much I enjoyed the rest of my time with this book.
Overall, I liked it. I'd recommend it to friends and I'd read it again. Storygraph has listed three other publications by this author, two of which are set in Pearle's world and which I'll be adding to my TBR pile imminently.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, and Confinement
Moderate: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual assault
achillea's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
MANY THOUGHTS HEAD FULL BOOK GOOD
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Physical abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Minor: Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault
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