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knitting_sword's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Torture, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
graycegotlostinthelibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
pryingblackbird's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
mar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death and Miscarriage
ceruleanseas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Confinement, Miscarriage, Rape, and Pregnancy
imreallyjk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
wardenred's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Myths are full of lies.
This is not one of them.
A short, quick, and lyrical read that felt to me less like a story and more like a mood. There’s a lot of body horror here, and on one hand, the way it’s all wrapped in long poetic sentences and clever similes makes it more bearable. On the other hand, the prose contains some evocative imagery that got stuck to my mind and will probably keep disturbing me for days on end.
Speaking of prose, while there are a lot of beautiful, vivid sentences here, on the whole I feel like the author overdid it a little. All those lacy figures of speech convey a mood perfectly, but sometimes obfuscate meaning and substance. And there is definitely a lot of substance here, too! I liked the horror rendition of the mermaid myth, the scary cult in taiga, the nods at numerous fairy tales, the Plague Doctor’s wry wit, and that underlying thread of how when monsters and humans co-exist, the lines blur between them and it’s no longer clear who’s the bigger monster. But I do feel that some parts of the story would have more impact if they were delivered a bit more clearly and concisely.
Still, as far as moods go, this was a beautiful one. Also, terrible and disturbing (very good for horror).
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism
fox_at_the_circus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
And I really like the two main characters and their relationship with each other, too. This is a story about two people dealing with their trauma together, healing together in a way, and supporting each other throughout it. They are not perfect or try to be, but they feel realistic and are loyal to each other. I especially loved the line, where the plague doctor calls out the "your trauma makes you stronger" bullshit.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Grief, and Pregnancy
ktkumpf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Miscarriage and Fire/Fire injury
rknitss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Miscarriage, and Injury/Injury detail