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They must have convinced themselves that they would never rot in the same dirt we do.
This book has left me carved out and cut open, lovingly handing me the needle to stitch myself together - and I devoured it.
I already loved Hell Followed With Us, but this book just had it all. The queer characters, the very gory descriptions, the fury and rebellious spirits and the love each of the characters held for each other. There were a few plot lines I would have liked to read more about, like the sanatorium, the relics, the way historic colonialism by the UK was adapted into the fantasy/horror context, more in-depth exploration of the anti-autistic ableism and general sexism of the time, & etc. But I guess that’s to blame on the „YA“ part of the book 😅)
Even though the story meant to rip you apart, ask you to just let go and give into the graphic descriptions of medical horror, of a society not so much different from our own, the book was weirdly comforting. At times, I definitely felt a bit squeamish (never thought I’d read a really graphic, long description of an at-home Caesarian abortion, but here we are), but it was definitely one of the most beautiful things I’ve read lately. Because it is truly okay to hurt sometimes. And it is okay to slash back when the rabbit-hearted heart screams to just amputate the parts society doesn’t like to see on (young) people.
And oh, how they fought back.
(Also loved the very trans* main characters and their love story. Same with the (female) rage and the portrayal of a small rebellion, starting in the very walls meant to keep them silent.)
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
Moderate: Biphobia, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Classism
It’s chock full of things that need content warning, brutal, horrific, explicitly gruesome, poetic, beautiful, and will make your whole being ache.
Horror isn’t really my jam so I have to work myself up to it, but so far both this and Hell Followed With Us have been so so so worth it.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Misogyny, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Well done. I unexpectedly enjoyed this.
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Dysphoria
Minor: Chronic illness, Abandonment
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Hate crime, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicide, Torture
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Pregnancy