Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Vértestvérek by Ania Ahlborn

58 reviews

l1braryofalexandra's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

As a West Virginian, this is a story that has been told way too many times for it to be done in a nuanced way. This was a rehashing of so many stereotypes written by someone who has obviously not done their research on Appalachia. These ideas about people from Appalachia, and in particular West Virginia, still harm the people there today. There was no reason this couldn’t have taken place in any other “middle of nowhere”. It’s just overdone, and while this was billed as “horrific” the scariest part was the over-abundance of played-out tropes and uninspired writing. I beg people to stop with the incest hillbilly cannibals.

I could be willing to even look past all of that if the story wasn’t so boring and predictable. Completely disappointed by this and the horror is mediocre at best.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, Rape, Incest, Homophobia, and Violence

Minor: Pedophilia

chloseencounter's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Brother was my second novel by Ania Ahlborn and I always find myself enjoying her narrative voice. To be as vague as possible this book is about a very twisted family and one child who finds himself doubting his capacity for evil. Ania Ahlborn’s books are always so bleak and this was not a departure from that theme, if you want to read a story that’ll ruin your week and an ending that’ll make your stomach drop, this is it. I will say, that in my own personal opinion, I liked The Devil Crept In more even though this is her most talked about novel. Either way this was a solid read. I’m excited to read The Shuddering next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Murder, Emotional abuse, Child death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Death, Cannibalism, Rape, Kidnapping, Blood, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Gore, Incest, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

micpoll's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• 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

4.25

What the FAWKKKKK

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Gore, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, Cannibalism, Violence, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Vomit

rhie_reading's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book took a while to get going. For horror fans you'll be waiting until the last 10 chapters for something to happen. However, the twist ending is good although a bit predictable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Murder, Violence, Blood, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Pedophilia

Minor: Alcoholism

ashlyreadsevrythg's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Incest, Body horror, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Gore, Murder, Child death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Blood, Rape, Self harm, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Vomit, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Grief, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts

bxtskr's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

please read the content warnings for this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Incest, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Stalking, Torture, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

sdsmith80's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

<strong>My #1 pick for 2022! ***Spoilers***</strong>

After a year filled with amazing horror, this book just topped my best of 2022 list. I'm so glad I hadn't finished putting it together until I read it. This book hit so many tropes that make me excited to read horror. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is my favorite horror movie of all time, and I came to this book based on a recommendation that said it was for fans of TCM. 

Michael is such a flawed protagonist. Through the whole book I had to question, is he evil like Reb and Momma, or is he simply a victim of circumstance? <Spoiler> He was taken from his home as little more than a toddler, all due to Reb's selfishness and Wade's indulgence in Reb's whims, and finds himself stuck. He becomes a product of his adopted "family", but when did he actually have choices to make, and did he even know he could make them? I think he was good overall, but at the same time I don't believe could have been saved either. What he did damned him in the end. 

Reb was twisted though, although nature vs nurture is a much bigger argument in his case. Where it's implied that Momma became a murderer after her abuse of Lauralynn went too far (but really, what abuse isn't too far to begin with), it's also implied that Reb had that love of killing inside of him. No, he didn't start showing it until he knew what happened to Lauralynn, but the way he took to it says it was there all along. 

I will say that the choice Michael made with Snowball puzzles me in a couple of ways though. First, it doesn't seem like something he would have done at all, even if he was feeling the pressure off putting food on the table at age 7. Second, it seems obvious to me that Michael didn't know the consequences to that choice, and surely Reb could see that as well. So why set all of this elaborate master revenge plan in motion over something Michael did by accident when he was little. 

Misty Dawn's death was also a gut punch, especially knowing that Reb set everything in motion. Why get her killed as well? Maybe that answer will come to me in a few days. 

Seriously though, cannibalism, serial killers, and all of the darkest of the dark plot elements possible makes this book my #1 choice for 2022. Can someone pick this up to make a movie already?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Violence

Moderate: Incest and Vomit

x3melly's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Murder, Cannibalism, Child abuse, and Death

Moderate: Incest, Stalking, and Child death

Minor: Animal cruelty, Vomit, Alcoholism, and Animal death

acbrummitt's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Gore, Domestic abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, and Violence

xbeforesunrise's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is not for the light hearted. I enjoyed the pace and suspense. Michael was a complex character who you don’t know whether to feel bad for him or hate him.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Cannibalism, and Blood

Moderate: Bullying, Body horror, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Rape

Minor: Kidnapping, Stalking, and Vomit