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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Really interesting world and characters. This book hooks you fast, but some scenes and plot developments seem rushed.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was weird. That being said, I enjoyed it regardless. If you like weird horror, you’ll probably like it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Dysphoria
Death of a partner, grieving,
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Definitely one of the weirder books I've read but enjoyable nonetheless! It was a quick read with how much wacky stuff was going on all the time and despite how imperfect the main cast is, I found most of their stories/voices compelling enough to power through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Hate crime, Transphobia
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well. I think I can safely say that I've never read a book quite like this before. An unlikely band of adventurers (including two cult members who have been eviscerating unsuspecting passers by in exchange for drugs, the immortal woman they'd eviscerated, a witch with a reanimated bear for a butler and a horrible doll filled with guts) travel to a troubled city that sits on the calcified organs of long-dead gods, each trying to fulfill their own desires.
The world is the definite stand-out here. Crazy things are happening at every second, but the characters think of them as normal and they're described well enough to fit into a coherent world.
Unfortunately I do feel like this book was too long. A lot of things happened that, while interesting, didn't feel like they really mattered all that much. A great many characters are introduced only to die within pages (even someone who looks like they're going to be a major character at first dies without much development) so the deaths sort of start to get a bit boring.
I did like a few of the things that happened with the city at the end, though. It's a pretty quick read so I would recommend if you don't mind buckets of guts in your books and are looking for something unique.
The world is the definite stand-out here. Crazy things are happening at every second, but the characters think of them as normal and they're described well enough to fit into a coherent world.
Unfortunately I do feel like this book was too long. A lot of things happened that, while interesting, didn't feel like they really mattered all that much. A great many characters are introduced only to die within pages (even someone who looks like they're going to be a major character at first dies without much development) so the deaths sort of start to get a bit boring.
I did like a few of the things that happened with the city at the end, though. It's a pretty quick read so I would recommend if you don't mind buckets of guts in your books and are looking for something unique.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, War
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Infertility, Stalking, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Outing, Dysphoria
3.5/5 ⭐️ - it’s hard to describe exactly what i think of this book. on the one hand, i found it very confusing to get into and hard to follow. on the other hand, i powered through it in less than a day, riveted by the writing and the characters and some unexplainable force that kept me reading. this book is a gore and guts-filled adventure of a rag tag band of characters that are all quite likeable. the book touches on themes of transphobia, addiction, and immortality in a way that i think is superb and well done. if you can manage to get past the initial weirdness and follow along, it’s definitely worth a read.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
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
*chefs kiss* this was so good, i think i’m in love with ashlan fyi
actual review incoming so spoilers:
god this was so odd, but in a good way.
so ashlan was actually a gone away goddess! i had an inkling, and the way her mother was so certain she was different in the flashbacks, the way she was the only girl of her brood, just *chefs kiss*
rafes ending was nice. i feel like he can finally move on from gingerbeards death, now. he can finally live his life, not be stuck in the past:
tanka got what she wanted, too. even if it was in an odd way. i like the idea of her being able to raise a baby and ashlan being able to try again, even if it is unconventional. poor runt tho, he got eaten haha.
the world-building was easy to digest, so much so that i didn’t actually feel like i was reading some clunky fantasy book. for a decently short book it was so seamless and by the end i felt like i could really understand this world.
such a lovely little weird story though, definitely my favourite of july.
actual review incoming so spoilers:
so ashlan was actually a gone away goddess! i had an inkling, and the way her mother was so certain she was different in the flashbacks, the way she was the only girl of her brood, just *chefs kiss*
rafes ending was nice. i feel like he can finally move on from gingerbeards death, now. he can finally live his life, not be stuck in the past:
tanka got what she wanted, too. even if it was in an odd way. i like the idea of her being able to raise a baby and ashlan being able to try again, even if it is unconventional. poor runt tho, he got eaten haha.
the world-building was easy to digest, so much so that i didn’t actually feel like i was reading some clunky fantasy book. for a decently short book it was so seamless and by the end i felt like i could really understand this world.
such a lovely little weird story though, definitely my favourite of july.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Drug abuse, Gore, Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming, Death of parent
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes