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mostlybees's review
2.5
I read this novella for the Sci-fi & Fantasy book club that I'm in. This was decent, and I really like the premise of it. While I wouldn't call this scary, but the things that happen are horrific. The depictions of pregnancy and birth were not for me.
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Abortion
amandadevoursbooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
5.0
Oof this book packed a wallop. Iraxi is shunned on a boat of survivors from a flooded land. She's pregnant with something that is more than human. Her family is dead, long before the flood. Her body scarred from the fires her village set. She's tormented by the images of their collective lynchings.
She hates the baby. She's betrayed by her lovers, and the ship reeks of hopelessness.
The climax and resolution were near perfect and extremely satisfying.
It's filled with body horror, pregnancy, and trauma. Reading it was worth it. Wonderful novella.
She hates the baby. She's betrayed by her lovers, and the ship reeks of hopelessness.
The climax and resolution were near perfect and extremely satisfying.
It's filled with body horror, pregnancy, and trauma. Reading it was worth it. Wonderful novella.
Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Xenophobia, and Kidnapping
madarauchiha's review
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? It's complicated
4.25
โค๏ธ ๐งก ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐งก โค๏ธ
The writing was gorgeous and so tightly edited. I did think the pacing was a lil off, and I'm hoping it will get expanded on or continued as a series. Not as a sequential story, but more of this universe. There's scenes sprinkled in that hints of a greater world beyond what was lost by the MC. At times it does get frustrating and not in a good way. It feels like staring into the dark, only able to see when you look slightly to the side of whatever is faintly glowing. Of course, I do understand that a lot of this is metaphors and allegories, and that a more concrete world built would erode what has been said in this novella.
I extremely love that there is eldritch horror but it's not that godawful lovecraft shit. There's some body horror too.
There's a lot of pregnancy and childbirth, so those uncomfortable with the topic should probably avoid it. It wasn't graphically gorey, but it was explicit what was happening, and it was very visceral.
The ending was pretty abrupt. I felt like the MC came to terms with her issues rather quickly, and that something felt missing.
I would absolutely recommend this book to black readers and readers of color who enjoy horror, eldritch horror, and sea based, merfolk horror. If I had to compare it to another author's prose or books, I'd say Benjanun Sriduangkaew.
content warnings
minor suicide ideation, sexism, abortion, sexual content, menstruation, death, blood,
medium infidelity, torture, sexual harassment, unsanitary, injuries, fire injuries, xenophobia,
major body horror, arson, demolition, childbirth, sexual content, unreality, child death, medical content, pregnancy,
The writing was gorgeous and so tightly edited. I did think the pacing was a lil off, and I'm hoping it will get expanded on or continued as a series. Not as a sequential story, but more of this universe. There's scenes sprinkled in that hints of a greater world beyond what was lost by the MC. At times it does get frustrating and not in a good way. It feels like staring into the dark, only able to see when you look slightly to the side of whatever is faintly glowing. Of course, I do understand that a lot of this is metaphors and allegories, and that a more concrete world built would erode what has been said in this novella.
I extremely love that there is eldritch horror but it's not that godawful lovecraft shit. There's some body horror too.
There's a lot of pregnancy and childbirth, so those uncomfortable with the topic should probably avoid it. It wasn't graphically gorey, but it was explicit what was happening, and it was very visceral.
The ending was pretty abrupt. I felt like the MC came to terms with her issues rather quickly, and that something felt missing.
I would absolutely recommend this book to black readers and readers of color who enjoy horror, eldritch horror, and sea based, merfolk horror. If I had to compare it to another author's prose or books, I'd say Benjanun Sriduangkaew.
content warnings
minor suicide ideation, sexism, abortion, sexual content, menstruation, death, blood,
medium infidelity, torture, sexual harassment, unsanitary, injuries, fire injuries, xenophobia,
major body horror, arson, demolition, childbirth, sexual content, unreality, child death, medical content, pregnancy,
Graphic: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Infidelity, Torture, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Sexual content, Death, and Blood
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