Reviews

Violent Faculties by Charlene Elsby

destinae's review

Even as a longtime splatter reader, i couldn’t stomach this. I may come back to this another time.

samdej's review

1.0

honestly just pretty boring :/

michellesmelancholia's review

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• 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

3.0

howesj's review

dark fast-paced

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

4.0

magenta_menace's review

4.75

half academic thesis, half extreme horror, this book is vile, dense, and terrifyingly inhuman in all the best ways. i found myself cringing at multiple points, which is tough to do at this point in my extreme horror journey. elsby's way of presenting this novel as an academic text was striking and while it may not be for everyone, especially those swayed by heavy, purple prose, i was definitely the target audience and wasn't disappointed. 

literarybitch's review

challenging dark fast-paced

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

Reading this is like going through the Reddit post history of a mass shooter: starts out violently unhinged to begin with and only gets more and more incoherent. And if that sounds like a fucked up comparison to make, know that this is a fucked up book.

It's also disturbingly thought-provoking, mixed in with the demented philosophy screed and pornographic cruelty. Horrifically, I think I accidentally learned something. And the subtle slide from at least intelligible madness to fully incomprehensible madness was superbly written.

At 150 pages, it only took 1 night to read. I... might have to read it again.

[CENSORED]/10
#WhatsKenyaReading

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Sexual violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Murder, Torture, and Violence

floorsalad's review

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Absolutely loved this one. Visceral and deliciously violent but not gratuitous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Sexism, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Torture, Sexual violence, and Violence

drakaina16's review

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.0

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. 

What a strange book this was. Part horror novel, part thesis, it's utterly unlike anything I've read before. The most disturbing part of the book is how clinically everything is presented. I may not have understood it all, but it was definitely thought provoking. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

adamsfall's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Sexual violence, Self harm, Cursing, Body horror, Torture, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

morguebooks's review

challenging dark informative tense medium-paced

• 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