Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Cows by Matthew Stokoe

114 reviews

siobhan_leahy's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


<spoiler ish here>

OK, so there is gore, there is carnage there is every trigger warning you can possibly think of and more that you can't but........ Is it realistic? Is it drawn from real life?  Talking cows? Evil parents and inner personal demons?

Well I'm going to say yes!!!! And before you laugh (whoever saw a talking cow) I'll explain.

This is a story about a guy who's been abused by his only parent for 25 years, his boss at his 1st and only job sexually abuses him. Forcing him to doing things he doesn't want to, complete power trip and manipulation of the vulnerable. (sound familiar yet?)

Afraid of the world around him, desperate to be part of a normal loving family he clings to the only thing he has ever found comfort with. A disturbed girl living in a flat above him and the cows at the meat factory where he works.

His descent into madness and mental health is sadly a true reflection on the world in which we live. Working in this sector I see these vulnerable people everyday and my heart aches for them.

Mental health does not operate in the neat tidy box's we slide society into. It doesn't cover over the nasty dirty details of the human condition, like this book, it is cold, open, cruel, dirty, and outcast. Society seeks to hide it (and from it)! Mental health is a growing pandemic in today's world much like a developing herd of Murderous talking cows under a city.

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queenofodas's review against another edition

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Honestly, the book is poorly writen, is like reading the saddistic fantasies of a 13 year old boy with mommy issues.

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robin345's review against another edition

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dark fast-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

4.25


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emilunax's review against another edition

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dark fast-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

1.0


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rileye's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book is really gross and awful and I'm not sure it's even good and it might be my favorite book I've read in the last few years. The definition of a guilty pleasure, I read cows in a single night after finding a pdf on some internet form site. It's basically a coming of age story on PCP with a healthy dose of animal cruelty and possible psychosis. Don't read this probably. Again, I'm not sure it's actually any good I'm just a sicko.

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earsore's review against another edition

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challenging 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

2.5

Not sure if this was an allegory that flew over my head or just a total exercise in shock value, but either way it was... uh... something I guess.

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tigrah's review

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challenging dark emotional 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

1.75


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hanna782's review against another edition

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I knew going into this book that it was messed up. I thought I could handle it. However, that wasn't the case. I just think it's gross and would rather spend my time reading something I'll actually enjoy.

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walsmo's review against another edition

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dark medium-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

2.75

Uncomfortable, gross, overtly sexual in an awful way 

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stellasaur's review

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

1.75

Cunt, piss, cunt, shit, cunt, puke, cunt, cunt, cunt. There. That's the book. Entirely puerile. 

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