Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca

69 reviews

gorbon's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Pregnancy

joperceptions's review against another edition

This book was disgusting? Once I’m done reading my current read I’m going to try and pick this one back up again but am super hesitant to. It takes gore to a whole new level and not it a good way- a level where I consistently had to stop reading for a bit and just sit in my feeling of “wtf am I reading right now”. 

Unsure what the purpose of writing something like this would even be? I really thought it would be better than it was, like a crime/ horror queer novel. And it was horror and it was queer but just the wrong kind of horror. Like a really, utterly fucked up kind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

annabookpaiges's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Mental illness, and Terminal illness

akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

What have you done today to deserve your eyes?

I had so much fun reading this!! That’s what this collection is: fun. 

My ranking is as follows:
1. Things have gotten worse since we last spoke.
Disturbing, darkly funny, I had no idea where it was going. It’s outlandish and yet believable, I loved loved loved it- the hype is justified and so are the trigger warnings. 

2. They Do It Like That All Over.
The last story holds a huge punch. It’s sickening how anxiety producing it is, and yet. I think it’s a commentary on how politeness (like Mr Fowler’s silent acceptance- though he disapproves- of his husbands extreme racism) makes him complicit and vulnerable, but it could just be a Shirley Jackson-esque tale of terror that works equally well.

3. The Enchantment.
Though still entertaining I didn’t like this one as much because I didn’t really know what was going on. It’s a book that slaps you one way, the beginning is absolutely the best part. It meanders into a tale of paranoia, but never really answers anything. I still enjoyed it though. 

Honestly an amazing read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Suicide

Minor: Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, and Vomit

In Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke a character is forced to eat raw, rotten meat.

molliundera_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

wall0w's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

3.5

Of the three stories in this collection "Things Have Gotten Worse..." was definitely my favourite, with themes that hit much closer to home than the others, viscerally disgusting with twists that come from way left field. "The Enchantment" would hit a lot harder for someone who has any kind of religious trauma, but still a very emotional story swimming in loneliness. The only thing I have to say about "You'll Find It's Like That All Over" is that it was a wild ride with a lead character that constantly had me thinking "I wouldn't have said yes to that but you did so I guess we'll see where this goes" and it sure does go.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Suicide

Minor: Racism and Vomit

amberlikesreading's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

3.0

the stories were interesting, I could do without the second one. But, going in not knowing anything, especially about the “Things have gotten worse…” story I was intrigued by the set up and somewhat surprised it wasn’t a true story

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief

Moderate: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

Minor: Racism and Injury/Injury detail

lovelylilelle's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

ireneac's review against another edition

dark fast-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, and Suicide

themeadowlibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

1.5

What have you done today to deserve your eyes?

An interesting concept with some really badly done writing. 

I wish I could give this a higher rating because it was viscerally disturbing and unique. However, the writing fell extremely flat for me, and the overall story seemed rushed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Lesbophobia