Reviews with content warning for Blood - Tell Me I'm Worthless

A few things that jump out to me when it comes to Tell Me I'm Worthless is the way the author spins the narrative bouncing from multiple points of view.

I find that the third person, multiple points of view essentially make it a little bit more confusing when going between, ila, Alice, Hannah and Jacob and even the House's point of view. I also need to say that Tell Me I'm Worthless is a very dark book and that readers should be prepared for all of the graphic details and metaphors and analogies that happened in the book.

There are a lots triggering elements/moments in the book but the main ones they should be aware of transphobia, sexual assault, harassment, racism, systemic racism, prejudices, misogyny, and the crooked, political and justice system. The author has a lot of nods to elements in the global society prejudices, but mainly focused on the elements that take place in London/England society.

I have read material from British authors before so I could follow along, but there were a few bits that were confusing. I also found that Tell Me I'm Worthless core was about the affects of society's toxic attitudes not only became one with the inhabitants of the house but also the house itself.

At times, I found I was being led by a backwards/forwards narrative due to a lot of double meanings present in the book.

With all of that said, strong themes when it came to the characters I got from Tell Me I'm Worthless was centered on identity, belonging, conformity, and self loathing. And the house of the story was this surcharged vessel that attracts the darker sides of people, seemed to encourage and enhance the evil in people's hearts.

There was a lot to deconstruct from this book and there were parts I just couldn't understand. I find that this may have been a good book for a book club discussion rather than a solo read, but that's my opinion.

Content Warnings

jfontaine's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The content warning at the start of the book is crucial. Readers really need to know what they're getting themselves into with this book, and it is so dark, so graphic, so chilling. There were moments that made me feel physically ill. The narration is brilliant and nuanced. I don't know that I can recommend it because it is truly horrifying, but it's important and I know I'll be thinking about it for a long time.

Content Warnings

bookishmillennial's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

I actually don’t know if I recommend this because though it is meant to be horror, possibly satire, and providing searing commentary on the many -isms and current zeitgeist, I am …. genuinely concerned that it may cause more harm than spark rumination. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m uninterested in forcing folks to read through deeply traumatic and painful events and hateful messaging (obviously posited as wrong and bigoted, but still!) just to get a point across. I’m unsure if this book executes the message it is trying to get across well enough to present the topics at hand.

I felt thoroughly creeped out, uncomfortable, and heartbroken as I read about Ila and Alice’s experiences in the haunted house that left their friend Hannah behind so many years ago. However, again, I genuinely don’t know if I recommend this. I am not saying there’s no room for deeply disturbing literary fictional horror, because obviously the trans community is under attack in the United States, with more policy targeting their rights and general wellbeing. I just don’t know if this book’s graphic nature was for me.

Content Warnings

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

spookylilbean's review

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dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

I loved the almost franti writing style. The book felt unsettling and manic, but on purpose. I did not enjoy the vulgar language at times.

Content Warnings

justk's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

this book is phenomenal. it does something that ought have been done a long time ago — imagines that “a gothic house” is haunted and fuelled by fascism. the writing is conversational and beautiful, elegant and brutal, which allows the author to approach very complex topics with precision. i was devastated by it and then brought back to life again. we need more books that are direct about pain, because without looking at it as a part of living we will never be able to understand ourselves. besides, i feel like fascism might be one of the, if not entirely, the most important subject we can discuss right now.

i personally thought that the moral of the story was a bit too on the nose (

if we unite despite our differences, we can resist the biggest evil there is

), but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. especially considering how many people (judging by the reviews here) misunderstood it anyway.

Content Warnings

marjati_reads's review

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

thebechdelbitch's review

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dark sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Jesus Christ, I feel slightly broken having finished this. This is not for the faint of heart, but it's a truly imaginative, absolutely ORIGINAL book which voiced and confirmed some of my deepest fears about this shit show of a country I live in.

The haunted house metaphor was very on the nose but I don't really care.

This made me absolutely cringe with fear and disgust before weeping with some sort of joy at the end. I don't think I could give this book less than five stars for inciting such visceral reactions, but definitely approach with caution.

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