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welgan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed all the imagery and metaphors about surgery and body gore because I could really feel the special interest of the main character, and also it fit very well in the narrative, I could feel the despair and rage to control one's own body, and the adequacy of the imagery with the horrors happening.
I also appreciated that there was hope and comfort to be found in kinship - this person is like me, I can be myself and true and safe with them. It helped going through a story with such hard events.
Be warned if you're a sensitive person though : beyond the horrors that would happen to a person perceived as a girl who is not complying to society's standards, and to a trans person, in a Victorian era, the writing also invite quite a gore imagery. It fits very well, but if you're bothered by body and wounds imagery, it will probably be hard to read for you. There are also a lot of sensitive topics touched, so please look at the warnings if you're unsure. I felt the book did a great job exploring the topics without too much voyeurism, but the subjects are here nonetheless.
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Medical content
Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Medical trauma
Minor: Homophobia, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Miscarriage
marcostorin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Sexism, Blood, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Child death, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Abortion, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Transphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Colonisation, and Bullying
corsetedfeminist'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: Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Abortion, Body horror, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Mental illness
breadbummer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
- Trans protagonist (written by a trans author) ✅
- Murder mystery ✅
- Set in the Victorian era ✅
- Upfront trigger warnings ✅
- VENGEANCE!!!! (no bs about forgiveness) ✅
I cannot recommend this novel enough!! As I said, though, please note the HEFTY list of content warnings before jumping in. White makes sure to cover the big hitters like anti-transness and ableism, but it should also be noted that
Graphic: Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Abortion, Sexism, Self harm, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Death, Deadnaming, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Blood, Child death, Body horror, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical content, Transphobia, and Ableism
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Lesbophobia, Rape, Colonisation, and Vomit
Minor: Infertility, Animal death, Genocide, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
There was no specific option for animal dissections or something close enough to it listed here, so I thought I'd make note of it. Everything that is done to animals in this book is post-mortem, though it's still graphic.fallandfox's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
The author made me feel so absolved in the history and Silas mind, it was an incredible sensation.
Silas was an amazing main character, his fight for freedom in the middle of all the cruelty and prejudice. There were so many moments in with, I wanted to get in the book and hug and help him.
I recommend this reading a lot, this was a book filled with pain, fight and strength of people trying to survive a cruel society ready to use and destroy them.
Graphic: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Death, Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Torture, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Confinement, Abortion, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, and Emotional abuse
dummehure's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Overall a wonderful experience, I can't wait to read Andrew Joseph White's next masterpiece!!!
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Abortion, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Torture
cluelessavian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Ableism, Abortion, Torture, Body horror, Medical content, Transphobia, Gaslighting, Deadnaming, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Murder, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Cursing, Outing, Vomit, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Rape and Miscarriage
madamenovelist's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Hate crime, Torture, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Blood, Lesbophobia, Pedophilia, Dysphoria, Deadnaming, Confinement, Body horror, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Grief, Gore, Child death, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Abortion, Ableism, Death, Violence, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Sexual abuse of minors is a theme throughout this book. All the topics are very heavy but sexual abuse and gore are very prominent.reinynights's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Dysphoria, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Child abuse, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Murder, Violence, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent
infinite_helix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The desperation and fear is palpable, and I could not put this down. I would get so sucked in the world around me fell away and got replaced by the cold, dark, clinical and cruel halls of Braxton. I was cringing from phantom pains, recoiling in disgust, clenching the book in fervor.
And yet, somehow, in all the horror, I had such intense joy and satisfaction. This is the second book I've read with an explicitly autistic protagonist, and there was SO MUCH of my experiences and feelings in Silas that it was heartbreaking and cathartic in turn.
The way Silas crumples to the ground, overwhelmed and screaming and crying, upon realizing Daphne is there and real and his mirror and an ally and safe port in this madness was how I felt reading this book. Andrew Joseph White dug his authorial fingers into the brackish and bloody part of my soul with this book.
It was painful and perfect.
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Child abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Confinement, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Transphobia, Violence, Gaslighting, Bullying, Death, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
This book does not hold back on the horrors committed willfully and frequently to those deemed 'other' in Victorian England. It also doesn't shy away from what those surviving under such violent oppression will do to themselves and others to continue to survive or escape.