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darumachan's review
- 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
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Eating disorder
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide attempt and Terminal illness
askirmishofwit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gore, Eating disorder, Death, Murder, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Dysphoria, and Racism
celestial_starboy's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Blood
Moderate: Sexual assault, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs
gw7's review against another edition
3.25
This book was immediately not what I expected, but I was immediately drawn in... until about the 100-150 page mark. It's not that it doesn't know what it wants to be, and it's not like it didn't execute what it wanted to execute... it was just a really solid contemporary, with some elements with quite a lot of room for improvement?
The first 100 pages, specifically when we're first meeting Lyd and Ben, the dialogue is so well written to were I could immediately see, and know, they're characters. And that's something to be praised throughout the book, it is excessively real. There were many, many moments where I was fully immersed in the scene as if I was there with the character, and a thought went through my mind of 'this is what I would be thinking' (and it's largely unconnected to the previous few lines), and then that's exactly what Lyd then says she thinks about in that moment. In fact, throughout the book, it is so excessively believable and real... which is OF COURSE by no means a bad thing (and a thing many, many authors struggle to realise- something by no means to taken for granted or skipped over lightly)... but it does make some parts almost boring? Like, yes, I know what these situations are like, because I've lived them... and they're boring. So... good hob at portraying that? Again, I'm not saying they SHOULDN'T have been included (it should be noted I also don't read a lot of contemporary)... and it's not like everything HAS to HAVE A REASON for being there... it maybe just makes it more into a book for a moment?
The story... the plot...??? Some elements came together, a lot did not. Not that everything HAS to come together... it had the inkling sense that a more experienced author, having written those elements into the book... would have made them come together? It's contemporary in it's plot (and ending), but more litfic in its themes and explorations... and yet the main themes being explored really being anxiety and belonging... they were dealt with as more contemporary plot points... so the more overarching, nebulous concepts... just were? -Like they are in our brains, when we do have those thoughts... but, again, it was just like... ok? I really don't know how to talk about this. It's weird.
About the weirdness, though, for me (in my incredibly subjective opinion) this did what Bunny tried to do, but didn't quite. It's quite dark academia vibes, and it has that weird element, and yet is so grounded in the reality of the world that what is weird STANDS OUT and creates this eerie, tangible sense in the air that is barely imagined, more summoned by the prose. Like I said, by no means a small feat.
It was very relatable. The ending is what I expected the whole book to be. Some (a lot) of really impressive elements (THIS IS A DEBUT WOT). Some (quite a few) elements that I think would disappoint me if it wasn't for the fact they were so incredibly fine? A lot of points (quite major) that weren't wrapped up- but not in the 'unresolved ending' sense- which, is fine? cause that's how life is? but at the same time feels really quite... meh?
Just to note the Gideon element was interesting- not so much the Otter. How that story line and its, and his character's, meaning, that was good and clever and made space for a lot of thoughts. And also the thought behind what vampires and their digestion and life systems really are was cool, and I don't think nearly enough attention was given to how much though the author must have put into that.
I feel like I could have given this a much better review if it wasn't for the fact that, upon finishing, I am quite sad that I don't really feel much about it (despite speeding through it and eagerly wanting to read it throughout the day, constantly until I finished it (again, not a small thing, especially for me)), and could maybe even give it away quite soon after... except there's so many beautiful moments, and quite a few excellent lines. Really really strong in the writing, not once was I taken out of it (except that part with all the people before the gallery where I was just bored and like 'what's the point though?')
I'm just gonna put my cawpile here cause that will probably better illustrate:
Characters: 6
Atmosphere: 7
Writing: 7
Plot: 3
Intrigue: 5
Logic: 6
Enjoyment: 9
Feels like a 3... but add a .25 because... IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A THREE. There are so many parts better than that.
*I would say there is no eating disorder content (no character has one) but behaviours are very explicily on page that many with restrictive EDs regularly engage in, so a lot of the behaviour and thought and pattern descriptions (mild character pattern spoiler for the purpose of proper trigger illustration)
Moderate: Sexual assault
saucy_bookdragon's review
- 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
4.0
This was a really interesting world building study into how a vampire would behave in a contemporary setting. I'd love to find more fantasy like this where it's written like a contemporary novel! Bloodlust was treated both as a literal hunger and sexual desire which made me feral. The overall food discussions are also really good, lots of delicious descriptions but also discussion around eating disorders (massive TW for that). All following a protagonist who's trying to survive post-college life and unpack her complex relationship with her vampiric mom, I liked how messy but understandable she was.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
beeinbooks's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse
gvstyris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
There always seems to be something that suffers or dies as a result of any form of food consumption.
Man, I'm really bummed. There are so many reasons I wanted to love this book. On a superficial level, the title and original cover design are epic, and subtly characterise our protagonist as empowered and mildly menacing. I also absolutely lived for the audiobook narration (full credit to Katie Leung, who voices Caitlyn in Arcane <3) and the premise itself. As well as juxtaposing vampirism with Lydia's mixed-Anglo-Japanese-Malaysian identity, Kohda uses Lydia's vampirical inability to eat as an analogy for an eating disorder. A really cool idea, and I'm so so sad that it didn't work for me.
For one thing, the characters were relatively flat...which, given that this novel is lacking in plot/world-building, was a fatal flaw. Lydia herself gave me unbearable second-hand embarrassment at times, particularly because of her poor social skills and uncomfortable interactions with Ben. I understand this was a deliberate choice to demonstrate Lydia's forced social isolation, but I ultimately struggled to root for her in a way that hindered my enjoyment of the novel. I feel similarly, if not worse, about Ben, who lacks development and consequentially comes across as a white man with a fetish for East Asian women...
I would've loved to see many parts of this novel explored in more depth, especially the relationship between Lydia's parents. I also made the critical mistake of reading this alongside The Bell Jar -- the two novels have similar atmospheres, and it was impossible to not compare them.
Ultimately, Kohda's visceral food imagery was the highlight for me. As someone who's very much not a foodie, I related to aspects of Lydia's relationship with food and loved seeing how her mother's beliefs and self-hatred influenced her own. It's clear that Kohda has a lot of care for her subject matter, which will definitely stick with me, so I'm glad I gave it a read regardless.
Graphic: Animal death and Blood
Moderate: Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
lin3han's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Blood and Eating disorder
Minor: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
popcornn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
circadroid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Sexual assault and Animal death