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axel_p's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Minor: Fatphobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Body shaming, Gore, Toxic friendship, Violence, Grief, Sexual content, and Torture
iambigsmelly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
That being said it is a book that makes you want to keep going. Every "what the fuck" moment makes you want the next one. Just like our killer Maeve it taps into a primal obsession.
It's odd, disgusting, but intriguing, possibly projecting?
I give it 4.5-5 in terms of how it's written, fast paced, and in your face. Poetic but not too cliché that it's boring. But it takes a bit hit cause IMO I hate this trope in "body horror". It's 2 dimensional. Instead of putting things in places that don't belong, why not make places become something that don't belong?
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Sexual harassment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, and Rape
josie_reads_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual violence, Torture, Drug use, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
- 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
Have was such an unhinged character but I somehow rooted for her and was utterly devastated by the ending.
There was a humorous yet strange scene that was definitely an ode to Patrick Batemen watching himself having sex.
This was such a captivating story. It was like a train wreck - I just couldn't look away. Every time I put the book down, it was all I could think about.
It had me physically cringing in disgust and shouting out in disturbance and I loved every moment of it.
This is going to stick with me for a very long time.
Graphic: Vomit, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Torture
jctur2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Grief, Violence, Eating disorder, Stalking, Kidnapping, Blood, Body horror, Death, Excrement, Cannibalism, Drug use, Murder, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, and Torture
howlinglibraries's review against another edition
1.5
I don't need to agree with a character's actions to like them, but aside from the previously mentioned issues, Maeve is so oblivious that it's impossible for me to get behind her as a narrator. There's a twist in this book that is painfully obvious from a million miles away, yet Maeve is taken entirely off-guard by it in the worst way. Oblivious.
Most of all, Maeve Fly is simply boring for the bulk of its duration. There's very little horror for most of the book, instead primarily focusing on Maeve's internal critique of everyone around her and a whole lotta sex.
The only major hype piece I've heard for this book that actually makes sense to me is comparing this to Palahniuk's writing style, which I'll agree with — Leede's style reminded me a lot of Chuck Palahniuk's style and I can definitely see the inspiration there (though it would be hard to miss it, given how much name-dropping happens throughout Maeve Fly, including many references to Chuck himself).
This was perhaps my single most disappointing read of 2023 so far. I would try this author's work again in the future, but don't recommend this one.
Buddy read with Reg! ♥
Graphic: Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Rape, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Gore, Body horror, Sexual assault, and Torture
fangirljeanne's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a great horror novel, beautifully grotesque and emotionally raw to an uncomfortable degree. It’s very much more lit fic than in tone and execution than horror or splatter punk, though it absolutely holds its own in both genres. The experience of being a woman, especially one who doesn’t fit the unattainable hypocrisy of socially acceptable feminine ideals, is a horrific mind-bending experience.
Maeve is not unique in her weird or messiness, take out the overt violence and this would be like many other women’s lit narrative about the trauma of living under patriarchy. But here, in the framing of a horror novel this narrative feels more authentic, more autonomous compared to the passive victimhood of a lot of white women’s navel gazing fiction, at least until the end. Maeve felt like she was going to give the cliche narrative of the weird girl, the creepy girl, the femme fatale a newer better ending. One where she embraces that aspects of herself that fear of society tells her to suppress and hate. While she escapes the typical fate of “fallen women” of literature, she is still punished for refusing to conform to society. That’s the only aspect of the story I disliked. It felt like a step back after so many subversive strides forward.
I get it, this is a horror novel. Heartbreak is an important aspect of that genre. But I would also argue that few things are quite as frightening to patriarchy as a villainous woman getting everything she wants including love and acceptance.
Highly recommended to fans of graphic horror and dark humor. If you love the movie May (2002) this book might be for you too.
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Self harm, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcohol, Body shaming, Grief, Torture, Animal death, Bullying, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Medical content, Sexual assault, Classism, Ableism, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Stalking, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Drug use, Excrement, Rape, Animal cruelty, Body horror, and Chronic illness
devynreadsnovels's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Murder, Gore, Blood, Torture, Misogyny, Alcohol, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Drug use, Grief, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Animal death, Sexism, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Medical content, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, and Rape
dandaloriian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Torture
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cannibalism
autumnleafgirl's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Genre: Extreme Horror
Themes: Quarter life crisis, killer women, extreme gore, slasher, the entertainment biz
The titular Maeve Fly is a 27-year-old on the brink of her quarter-life crisis: Her coworker and best friend is on the edge of stardom, her kindred-spirit grandmother is dying, and someone is leaving strange dolls at Maeve's favorite haunts in Hollywood. In the days leading up to Halloween night, we watch as Maeve slowly - and then all at once - loses the tight grip that holds her life together and gives into the extreme violence that sleeps fitfully within her.
Here's the thing, though: Maeve might be depressed, disgusting, and deranged but she's also somehow, some way, kind of likeable. Her morbid investment in every little thing in her quickly collapsing world, from the wellbeing of her grandmother's cat to the theme park princess job she unironically loves, is tenderized by her snide humor and endless supply of Halloween music trivia. She's not detached or unemotional - if anything, her big feelings about everything seem to be the thing she hates about herself the most. And frankly, all of that just makes what she does to express those feelings even more squirm- inducing to read about.
While only around 250 pages, this novel still manages to pack a very greasy, gorey punch with Maeve's explicitly visceral descent into madness. Gross from beginning to end with a significant portion of the book essentially a montage of graphic violence, this book isn't for the faint of heart, the faint of stomach, or the early horror reader. Instead, it's perfect for readers who thought Mona Awad's "Bunny" or Ottessa Moshfegh's "Eileen" didn't go far enough and should have been set in the glam and grime of LA. Think long and hard, then wait two hours after eating before dipping your toe in this pool.
The verdict: As nauseated as I still am an hour after finishing up this book, there's an excellent chance that Maeve Fly will top my horror list at the end of the year. I know exactly the horror fiend friends I'll recommend it to, and for those looking to fill a hypersexual murderess-shaped hole in their shelf, Maeve Fly will honestly soar.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for sending an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Cancer, Medical content, Cannibalism, Gore, Abandonment, Drug use, Grief, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Murder, Stalking, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Animal cruelty, Blood, Violence, Vomit, and Cursing
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Cancer, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Classism, Stalking, Body shaming, and Suicide