Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have many thoughts. Can‘t really articulate them but i really felt this novel in my body. Repulsion, empathy, horror, envy, pity, anger.. to the point it made me nauseous sometimes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Vomit
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Incredible well written, this story follows Iris and how she ends up in a Cult.
At times very slow, but, a slowness the story needs to progress, we get insights into a group of woman living on a farm, their dynamics and their choices and consequences. I had troubles putting this book down while I read it because I was so invested in finding out what is going to happen next. I liked the switch between past and present and was at times deprived by the information we got in the flashbacks.
At times, the story followed a predictable path, not negative in any way, but sometimes I wished Amy Twigg would have gone deeper in the dynamics within the cult.
This books leaves one with an eerie feeling about society and makes you start googling similar stories to continue reading.
At times very slow, but, a slowness the story needs to progress, we get insights into a group of woman living on a farm, their dynamics and their choices and consequences. I had troubles putting this book down while I read it because I was so invested in finding out what is going to happen next. I liked the switch between past and present and was at times deprived by the information we got in the flashbacks.
At times, the story followed a predictable path, not negative in any way, but sometimes I wished Amy Twigg would have gone deeper in the dynamics within the cult.
This books leaves one with an eerie feeling about society and makes you start googling similar stories to continue reading.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the irony of this novel, that the most innocent, naive and youthful woman in the book is the one brutally punished. not the men that infiltrated. not the villagers who scorned the women for the photographs. but the 18 year old who knew no better. it’s a poignant look on how female rage is often directed in the wrong place.
this book used the seasons in an interesting way, with heat gradually building as the commune became more and more sinister. the sudden rainfall, which brings the destruction of everything, is jarring too. the environment really tells a story.
I think that this novel works well as a whole. as I was reading, I was skeptical. I thought the tone was too dreamy and hazy and the slow pace at first didn’t click with me. however, the novel by the end fits together beautifully. Iris’ relationship with hazel’s mirroring her mother and fathers’ in particular is one of the most striking parts of the novel. when iris said you lied I felt that in my bones.
there was an air of freedom to the ending that I liked. iris isn’t the same person that she was before breach house. her relationship with her mother is closer, for example. she has learned to value herself. At the same time, the trauma of what has happened permeates her current life. the quote by vita sackville west at the start of the novel really sums the novel up.
UPDATE: just listened to Amy Twigg’s thoughts on the book and updated my rating to 5 stars - so much thought went into this!!!!
this book used the seasons in an interesting way, with heat gradually building as the commune became more and more sinister. the sudden rainfall, which brings the destruction of everything, is jarring too. the environment really tells a story.
I think that this novel works well as a whole. as I was reading, I was skeptical. I thought the tone was too dreamy and hazy and the slow pace at first didn’t click with me. however, the novel by the end fits together beautifully. Iris’ relationship with hazel’s mirroring her mother and fathers’ in particular is one of the most striking parts of the novel. when iris said you lied I felt that in my bones.
there was an air of freedom to the ending that I liked. iris isn’t the same person that she was before breach house. her relationship with her mother is closer, for example. she has learned to value herself. At the same time, the trauma of what has happened permeates her current life. the quote by vita sackville west at the start of the novel really sums the novel up.
UPDATE: just listened to Amy Twigg’s thoughts on the book and updated my rating to 5 stars - so much thought went into this!!!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Vomit, Car accident
dark
tense
medium-paced
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it was phenomenal! If you enjoy books based around cults and female rage then this is for you.
You follow the point of view of Iris as she looks back into her past of what happened during her time in a women’s only cult.The premise of women living in a commune in the countryside to escape from the outside world was fascinating. The relationships that are built and the work these women carry out in the dirt, living in isolation drew me in.
It is one of the best books I have ever read for a powerful atmosphere. It is tense, unsettling and claustrophobic with a murky feel to it. To Iris, the cult initially appears as a place of safety but then progressively turns into a house full of manipulation, betrayal, insanity and violence.
The psychological side to it was remarkable and made this a masterpiece of a novel for me. It shows you just how easy it is when you are feeling lost to be sucked in and easily brainwashed or influenced.
Spoilt Creatures is a fever dream of a story all about obsession, trust, desire, loss and anger. It is gritty, moody yet written in a way that is melodic and intoxicating. It is definitely up there as one of my books of the year so far.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“The truth is, you’d be surprised what you’re willing to go along with when everyone around you acts like you deserve it.”
Thank you to Hachette Australia and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Putting words into a legible review format feels impossible after reading this. Spoilt Creatures melted my brain in the best possible way. Please see a collection of thoughts below rather than a regular review.
This is for those who like something a little different, a little unsettling, something that makes you think.
I was reminded of Girl, Interrupted, The Bell Jar, and the work of New Zealand author Janet Frame. The stories are wildly different but the tone is something that sticks with you long after.
Undertones of tension and violence in the everyday masterfully scattered throughout the beauty of the story hint at what is to come at Breach House.
Trauma is at the heart of this story. How people can find camaraderie in it but also how it can be used against you.
The characters held so much passion and care that they felt alive, like I knew them, had spoken to them, joked and cried with them.
The poetry of Twigg’s words…I wanted to swallow them whole and have them sit in me forever. They were just so good.
I am so glad I had the pleasure of reading this novel and can’t wait to hunt down a hardcopy so I can treasure it in my hands forever.
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced