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abookwormspov's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Body horror, Child death, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Violence, Slavery, Grief, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, and Death
gondorgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Murder, Torture, Cannibalism, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Violence, Body horror, Blood, Grief, Misogyny, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
autumnleafgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Genre: Fantasy Horror
Themes: Upside down fairytales, blood and guts, ethereal in a good way
"I am a mother of monsters, better than any of my young."
The story begins with our unnamed mermaid narrator basking in the destruction of her husband's kingdom and the consumption of everyone within it. Emboldened by her escape, trapped in her mute human form, and accompanied by an enigmatic plague doctor, she sets out to begin a new chapter of her immortal life.
When they stumble upon a village of vicious children who serve dubious "saints," however, the pair gets mixed up in a gorey tale of macabre magic, attempted rebellion, and the horrific line between creation and destruction, forcing the main character to break the rules that have kept her a prisoner of her own world for so long.
It should be more than clear that this isn't "The Little Mermaid" story most of us know, or even the pessimistic myth from which it originated. Instead, Khaw has built a grim and beautiful mythology that's equal parts poetry and viscera. It's a world of fierce monsters and wanna-be gods. It's grisly and violent, but their command of language is on full display here, and even the most jarring scenes drip with a lusciousness that seems almost unfair for such bloody happenings.
My only complaint around this book - if it can even be called a complaint - is that I wish there was more of it. This novella was a quick read for me at about 90 pages in the ebook version. Khaw does an immense amount with such small real estate, but I would have been more than thrilled to be carried further along on the protagonist's journey through this terrifying, gorgeous world. Which I guess is a long way of saying yes, it really is that good.
For fans of: Admittedly this is my first book by Khaw, so I can't describe where it ranks amongst their prolific work (something I'll be changing in the very near future), but I would happily recommend this book to horror fantasy fans looking for something that feels similar to but is more bloody than Leigh Bardugo's "The Language of Thorns" story collection. Fans of the more supernatural elements of Christopher Buehlman's "Between Two Fires" will appreciate the lushly decrepit world that Khaw has created. I even think that particularly strong-stomached fans of female characters reclaiming their narratives - such as Madeline Miller's "Circe" - may also find themselves satisfied by how Khaw marries mythology and pure rage into a gem of a novella... If they can live with a little eyeball eating.
The verdict: This book is a horror fantasy fan's favorite dessert - it's deliciously rich, complex in all the right ways, and mournfully over before you're ready for it to be. I was intrigued, disgusted, in love, filled with righteous fury, and heartbroken over and over again in 90 pages - an unexpected triumph that few authors could pull off with such grace as Khaw.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for sending an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Self harm, and Torture
erynlasbelin'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? N/A
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Child abuse, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Cannibalism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Torture
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Genocide, Vomit, and Excrement
djali84's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A story about a mermaid and a plague doctor in a land covered with snow where a group of children, led by three "saints", seek immortality. I enjoyed the stark contrast between the horror and gory descriptions against the poetic writing. Be aware though that the vocabulary was rich and sometimes obscure. It was challenging at times. I was glad to read this on my Kobo, so I could easily access a dictionary. Also, I feel that sometimes the writing was a little too much and lost its impact. Nonetheless, I loved the story and will certainly reread it.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child death, Gore, Body horror, and Murder