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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
r_o_s_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Forced institutionalization
yolanda_h'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
3.25
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Sexual harassment
Minor: Terminal illness
risemini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Grief, Death, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
catsy2022's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Blood
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Death and Death of parent
lidia7'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? It's complicated
4.75
Do not read if you're triggered by descriptions of eating disorders, this book has disordered eating throughout its entirety. Check other TWs as well because it can be upsetting to read and definitely has pronounced horror elements (but the horror isn't supernatural always which I think is amazing and very interesting).
This book managed to do and say a lot under 200 pages! I'm not sure, if I keep thinking about it for longer than I have it might become a favorite. Thought-provoking and emotional books are where it's at!!
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, and Infidelity
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Grief
Minor: Cancer, Murder, Stalking, Vomit, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
standerson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death and Blood
Minor: Death, Child death, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Rape, and Forced institutionalization
knit'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
At times the descriptions of Lydia’s relationships with her mother and with food where difficult but overall they were relatable.
It’s interesting to read about a vampire who isn’t over powered. Lydia feels like a young woman who was way too sheltered growing up (think catholic school girl) and is just figuring out who she is and what she wants while also being non-human. It’s like seeing the vampire before they become wealthy, successful, and sexy.
Graphic: Blood, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Racism, and Dementia
Minor: Car accident, Cancer, Infidelity, Racism, and Rape
itsheyfay'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: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Racial slurs, Blood, Colonisation, Sexual assault, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
stevie'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Gore, Sexual assault, Animal death, Murder, Blood, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Cannibalism