Reviews with content warning for Body horror - Diavola

SO CREEPY AND SO GOOD 😳 I am going to be thinking about this story for a while!

Anna is such a badass. Initially, I was unsure of whether I liked her or not, but as the story went on and the narrative unfolded I realised she was so villainised.

LET’S JUST SAY IT, the family were the fucking villains! Thank fuck for maybe Justin, Mia and Waverly 🙄

I am glad there was a relatively happy ending to it.

There is nothing like tying up loose ends than the protagonist always having a symbol of their haunting to keep, but then getting to move to Italy and be an artist 😂

I’m not saying it’s a happy tale throughout though. In fact, if you get squirmish I would not recommend this! Content warnings included below.

4 out of 5 stars for me, thank you ✨

Content Warnings

louiepotterbook's review

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dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Content Warnings

chainsawheartbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
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

“Could you back the fuck off for two seconds? I am monologuing!”

Beautiful. Haunting. Raw.

This book was a masterpiece, pure art in its finest form, and I started this at the same time as a hot spell swept the UK which felt both fitting and slightly terrifying at the same time.

I was transported to Italy, visiting all these beautiful places but always returning to the dreaded Villa Taccola, just like the Pace’s. And despite by immediate distaste for some of them, I kept wanting them to leave the villa, money and belongings be damned!

The writing was just incredible and the atmosphere fluctuated between family holiday to pure malice so excellently. When I picked this up I knew I’d enjoy it, but never to the extent that I did.

Content Warnings

mmccombs's review against another edition

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dark funny tense fast-paced

5.0

When I picked up this book, I (for some reason) anticipated more of a gothic horror vibe, but this was truly straight HORROR at its best. Lots of bits that made me go “agh no!” out loud, a very atmospheric (and wonderfully Italian) setting, and a really interesting family dynamic all worked together to create a rich, creepy tapestry. I loved that Anna and her black sheep relationship to her family directly impacted and influenced the ghost story.

I loved that she got a bit snarky with the ghost, it became a relationship in its own right and made for some funny moments (which were definitely welcome when I was freaking out thinking about a ghost licking her foot). I also appreciated that she never reconciles with her terrible family and let the “rot” do its thing, truly awful people lol

All in all, I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this read, would definitely recommend for a scary summer read (maybe even on a family vacation just to keep it interesting!)

Content Warnings

alite428's review

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dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

dijigoo53's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Content Warnings

waterlylly's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is a real gem of what I think of when I say "Feminist Horror." The author takes a common trope of
"disastrous family vacation" and turns it into a story about belonging, alienation, and turning into the person you actually want to be. I found the main character to be shallow and annoying even when I sympathized with her, but I'm glad I stuck with her because the end made it worth it. More would spoil it. I'll be reading more of this author.

Content Warnings

rhiannonafternoon's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This was a stay up until 2am to finish read. A haunted house in Tuscany set to ruin the “perfect” family vacation? This was a masterfully written build beginning with your typical haunted villa moments; door slams and temperature changes, escalating into lost days and two women scorned who just won’t quit. Anna’s life experiences contribute to every well thought out move from beginning to end, and I’ll be thinking about La Dama Bianca for a long time.

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