Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
dark
tense
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
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Unfortunately, I was not able to get into the story. While the narrator wasn't my favorite, the characters all fell flat.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
dark
funny
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this is a novel that bravely asks (and answers) the question: 'would you still love me if i was a sentient mushroom?' and it was absolutely correct to do that. when i tell you that i gasped out of pure shock multiple times and that i was disgusted but also intrigued, i mean every word.
this book is like if you crossed frankenstein with the cordyceps from the last of us with the secret garden with a messy gay crime drama. we're out here reanimating the corpses of dead girlfriends, and there's nothing you can do to stop us. cue up the male-manipulator soundtrack.
seriously though, i know this technically belongs in the horror genre, but i found it extremely funny? maybe it was just my discomfort manifesting as laughter, but every scene just got progressively more ridiculous, and the characters are like sure, why the hell not?? the taxidermist starts intoning the mass while he's embalming a recently disinterred body? okay! the housekeeper/governess wants to kiss her ward who is made of mushrooms? love is love! the mushroom girl can't control her root growth and frequently has to be cut out of pianos, bushes, rugs, etc. with scissors? *scratches head* i guess! the botanist has killed like three people? nobody's perfect!
what a wild ride, and so well narrated the entire time. i'd actually say the writing, pacing, intrigue, and all of the normal book stuff was all 5 out of 5, but i have to knock some points off for the narrative being so mean to the lesbians. jenny and connie deserved better. justice for chloe.
this book is like if you crossed frankenstein with the cordyceps from the last of us with the secret garden with a messy gay crime drama. we're out here reanimating the corpses of dead girlfriends, and there's nothing you can do to stop us. cue up the male-manipulator soundtrack.
seriously though, i know this technically belongs in the horror genre, but i found it extremely funny? maybe it was just my discomfort manifesting as laughter, but every scene just got progressively more ridiculous, and the characters are like sure, why the hell not?? the taxidermist starts intoning the mass while he's embalming a recently disinterred body? okay! the housekeeper/governess wants to kiss her ward who is made of mushrooms? love is love! the mushroom girl can't control her root growth and frequently has to be cut out of pianos, bushes, rugs, etc. with scissors? *scratches head* i guess! the botanist has killed like three people? nobody's perfect!
what a wild ride, and so well narrated the entire time. i'd actually say the writing, pacing, intrigue, and all of the normal book stuff was all 5 out of 5, but i have to knock some points off for the narrative being so mean to the lesbians. jenny and connie deserved better. justice for chloe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
slow-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked the concept of the book as well as the writing style, but found the stagnation of the characters to be very frustrating. Gregor and Simon's constant flip-flopping of how they felt about CHLOE felt somewhat unnatural and more like a tool of plot-furthering than actual character development. I think there was a lot more that could have been done with this concept in terms of horror and exploring what it means to be human. I did very much enjoy reading this book, however!