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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
andrea_lachance'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? Yes
3.0
I really wanted to like this book, but I had really high expectations and it just didn’t meet them. Don’t get me wrong, AJW is a great writer! I just found the plot pretty predictable (as an adult) and I didn’t really understand the magic system.
HOWEVER, I find Silas an extremely interesting protagonist and I loved reading from his perspective on transness. That was 5/5 for me. This is the second book I’ve read by a trans author with a trans MC and I found Silas’ perspective much more informative and compelling.
Truly, stellar character work happening with Silas, Daphne, and Mary.
And I will be reading Hell Followed With Us and Compound Fracture as soon as it comes out.
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Medical content, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Transphobia, Medical trauma, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Ableism, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Misogyny
There’s and extremely graphic (and long) medical abortion and that was CRAZY to readvixbrekker'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: Blood, Ableism, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, Abortion, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content
Moderate: Sexual assault
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.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.