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hillcm91's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
ana_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
There are so many graphic scenes of all different types of violence, it was both shocking and uncomfortable to read. I know much of it is purposeful - it's a horror novel after all, a lot of that discomfort is part of what the author was intending - but it did put me off of the story over all towards the end. There was just so much and it was so unrelenting, there wasn't really room to take in any individual action and process it before the next bad thing was happening and the shock kicks in again. It started to feel gratuitous. I think that kind of took away a little bit from the overall themes/messaging the author was trying to convey as it left me feeling mostly just numb by the end of the book.
That being said, the writing is quite good. I was drawn in the whole time - more specifically with the flash back scenes with the house's history. Those sections felt like classic Haunted House fiction and while still shocking and gruesome, there was a certain level of disconnect from the present that helped buffer how intense it felt. I listened to the audiobook and Nicky Endres performance was incredible! Their voice was compelling and almost hypnotic, especially in their performance as Albion - it added so much to the reading experience for me.
I don't really know how to end this review. I still don't know if I think it was good or bad, I don't know if I can recommend it in good faith knowing just how packed with some pretty dark and graphic scenes it is. Mostly, I know I will be thinking about it for a long time and maybe that's all that needs to be said about it.
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
Moderate: Drug use, Self harm, Torture, and Antisemitism
cburns13's review
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, and Injury/Injury detail
thebigemmt505's review
- 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
1.0
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
lrgluck's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, Transphobia, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Self harm
The author gives content warnings at the beginning as well.pkprouvs's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Transphobia, and Antisemitism
terratops's review
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, and Transphobia
Moderate: Sexual content
betris's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Blood, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Dysphoria
plumsdeify's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Hate crime, Rape, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, and Toxic friendship
grey_jayne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Rumfitt is such my kind of author that I will be rolling into her follow up Brainwyrms soon. In the U.S. both books came out this year so I'm playing catch up.
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Animal death