Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

6 reviews

billie's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This book is truly devastating, but I will never forget audibly gasping at the brilliance of the chose your own adventure chapter

so smart so captivating recommend to everyone who is maybe gay and maybe a little fucked up 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Body horror

torturedreadersdept's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Racism, Dementia, and Pregnancy

kes813's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

5.0

This is by far one of the best books I’ve ever read and I don’t need to say much. This book is everything. It meets nonfictional analysis with personal trauma essay with magical realism fairytale. It’s incredibly cathartic, twisted in the most imaginative way, and brilliantly insightful. This book is a must read. I only warn those who are sensitive to very graphic descriptions about abuse and general fictional horror/gore. I believe this book can heal many, but could risk pouring salt water into an open wound if freshly grieving from an abusive relationship.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief

mpurdy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This was a devastating book about a abusive relationship. Told in fragments of memories. I loved the experimental style and thought her writing style was duper fluid. I got through this book so quickly as the chapters are short and leave you wanting to get through some of the harder sections. But it added so much to the experience because it was like you were trying to escape the relationship with her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

rieviolet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

3.5

This book deals with an extremely important topic that needs to be voiced and discussed. That said, as a piece of work itself, I liked it so-so. 

I did not get along with the narrative structure, I found the rapid-fire succession of chapters (supposed to show different genres and narrative styles) too much disjointed and confusing. The writing style is a bit too much experimental for me.

I liked much more the chapters that were "essay-like", exploring queer history and theory. However, I think that this mixing of informative chapters together with more literary and elaborately written ones was a bit jarring, it felt like two different books mashed up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Animal death, Biphobia, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

mallory10100's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

5.0

wow this book was amazing. heartbreaking yet quick. i highly recommend. i really liked the unique format. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Vomit, Dementia, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

this book really doesn’t feel like non fiction, but it’s a chilling true story and i highly recommend it