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lauren_reads_outside's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook
This book is absolutely bonkers, and I really liked it. Is it realistic? No but that's not the point is it. Taking the pursuit for beauty and youth in a modern company to the furthest possible extent with visuals that will have you flinching and nauseated. The narrator absolutely nailed the vapid unhinged voice and it made the book come to life. I will say that in audiobook I did lose track of a few of the characters because they seemed vaguely interchangeable but it also felt intentional that they were described that way in a sort of fever dream haze.
This book is absolutely bonkers, and I really liked it. Is it realistic? No but that's not the point is it. Taking the pursuit for beauty and youth in a modern company to the furthest possible extent with visuals that will have you flinching and nauseated. The narrator absolutely nailed the vapid unhinged voice and it made the book come to life. I will say that in audiobook I did lose track of a few of the characters because they seemed vaguely interchangeable but it also felt intentional that they were described that way in a sort of fever dream haze.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Self harm, Drug abuse, Gore, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Addiction, Murder, Mental illness, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Body horror, and Bullying
woodsybookworm's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Madame Bovary meets Goop in this new thriller following a young social media marketing artist. After she joins popular cosmetic company Hebe, Sophia finds herself as one of the select few chosen to learn the company's dark secret behind its newest creation, youthjuice.
I wanted to love this book. I saw the cover and read the blurb, thinking it would be a fun horror novel making light of the beauty industry. Instead, I found myself mostly bored as the main character consistently jumped into narrating her past rather than focusing on the horror of youthjuice.
⚠️ Spoilers below:
Honestly, the book probably would have been more entertaining from Tree's perspective - how she came up with the idea to sacrifice interns, how she collected victims, how she convinced her full time employees to follow her like a cult leader, and her devolving mindset in desperation for eternal youth.
There was so much that could have been fleshed out and explored if we followed Tree over Sophia who barely talked about youthjuice at all - the book read more like her fictional memoir than what could have been an interesting horror story about a moisturizer made from literal human blood.
I wanted to love this book. I saw the cover and read the blurb, thinking it would be a fun horror novel making light of the beauty industry. Instead, I found myself mostly bored as the main character consistently jumped into narrating her past rather than focusing on the horror of youthjuice.
⚠️ Spoilers below:
Honestly, the book probably would have been more entertaining from Tree's perspective - how she came up with the idea to sacrifice interns, how she collected victims, how she convinced her full time employees to follow her like a cult leader, and her devolving mindset in desperation for eternal youth.
There was so much that could have been fleshed out and explored if we followed Tree over Sophia who barely talked about youthjuice at all - the book read more like her fictional memoir than what could have been an interesting horror story about a moisturizer made from literal human blood.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Drug abuse, and Drug use
mandib's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I do not generally read horror. That said, the premise of this was way too intriguing to pass on this one. The “horror” of the book is less horrifying (for lack of a better word) than what I usually think of the genre, but I do think it was classified correctly.
I have conflicting feelings about Sophia. I found it interesting how willingly she accepted the horrifying aspects going on, and her lack of shock or willingness to trust her best friend and talk with her about what she’s observing.
My main critique of this book is that the ending came on quickly, and when I got to the epilogue, I was wondering if I had missed some chapters because it felt like it concluded more quickly than I was expecting. I think the ending could have been wound down a little more slowly, but it didn’t end so abruptly that it was jarring.
Ultimately, this was a fun, different horror novel that makes you think about what people may be willing to do to achieve the appearance of youth. I often listened to this book while doing my own skincare routine, which was pretty funny. I love how this book takes the skincare industry’s practices and asks “what’s the cost one will take for youth?”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Blood
karalyndawn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Well the style of writing is certainly… unique… it felt like reading a really long poem. The language is flowery and short. The novel caught my attention at first however the detailed self harm and blood was just not for me. I was disappointed in the ending as well. I thought things would have ended differently.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Murder, Drug abuse, and Drug use
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