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2.76 AVERAGE
2.76 AVERAGE
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book had set itself up to be a 3 star reading experience as the gay couple's portion of story was distracting from Ghost's portion story. It felt like this was supposed to be a blend of cosmic and real world horror but unfortunately the on-page sexual assaults cheaped the story into feeling like it was some rape fetishist's coffee table book.
The ending was particularly unsatisfying because it basically gave the reader the "and it was all a dream" people like to joke about. The man who experienced all the homophobia and torture just forgot everything that had happened so why did the reader need to read that it had? A better use for the pages that story had taken up could have gone to building understanding of what Ghost's tagalong critter was. The ending wasn't a happily ever after but it was a lobotomized version of a HEA.
The ending was particularly unsatisfying because it basically gave the reader the "and it was all a dream" people like to joke about. The man who experienced all the homophobia and torture just forgot everything that had happened so why did the reader need to read that it had? A better use for the pages that story had taken up could have gone to building understanding of what Ghost's tagalong critter was. The ending wasn't a happily ever after but it was a lobotomized version of a HEA.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping
Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, Islamophobia
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was interesting and thrilling, until it was just body horror and rape. It needed to have a content warning. And I hated the ending. No redemption? Only a monster God that destroys everything, and everyone filled with pain worshiping a Creator God who doesn't care? Somebody hasn't deconstructed, and I feel no reason to ever read anything by this author again. I only finished it because it was short and I wanted to know what happened. I need a palette cleanser from that and I hope my next book isn't as disappointing or disgusting.
Not my fave of his work. I always expect some wild shit and i normally like that he doesn’t hold back much but i guess this helped me realize that i enjoy my fictional homophobia more thematic and less bloody and violent. I love a cult and blood sacrifices tho so the other story line actually had me intrigued by the end
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Excrement
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was my first Eric LaRocca novel and it may be my last. I went in expecting cosmic horror, heck any type of horror, and got none. Not a bit. The breaking bones, the SA that happens to the gay character and the assault of his husband that lands his husband in the hospital, are horrific, definitely. However, they honestly feel out of place in this novel. The story was disconnected and remained so even when it comes to its merciful close.
1.5 stars
When I say queer people just write better horror, I’m not talking about Eric LaRocca cause what the hell is this. Why is this book written like litfic? What’s the point of half its contents being horrific stuff being done to two gay men when it’s erased from their memories in the end anyway? Why does queer horror always have to be related to religion and sexual abuse? Come on, we can do better than this. I’d say more but I’ve already spent too much of my time on this book.
When I say queer people just write better horror, I’m not talking about Eric LaRocca cause what the hell is this. Why is this book written like litfic? What’s the point of half its contents being horrific stuff being done to two gay men when it’s erased from their memories in the end anyway? Why does queer horror always have to be related to religion and sexual abuse? Come on, we can do better than this. I’d say more but I’ve already spent too much of my time on this book.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The writing was just plain bad. The plot was extremely disjointed and the intertwining perspectives were useless as the main plot was not impacted at all by the secondary one. I can’t even get a clear message from this story. The gore, and supernatural horror parts of this book are extremely lacking. I almost DNFed this because of the mass amount of similes, like fives sentences worth of similes for a minute detail that didn’t even make an impact on the story… but it was like at least twice every chapter. Anyways, I don’t recommend. The disjointed plot made reading this feel like a total waste of time, as well as not being able to take anything from the plot moving forward. The only good part is the style that the edition I bought was printed in, it is a very pretty book.
Everything the Darkness Eats did not hit the mark for me. I found this storyline to be really disjointed, and I can not find a reason or a place for the extremely homophobic and hate crime centred material. This novella is marketed as a supernatural thriller but I don’t think I would consider it as such, the supernatural elements were barely there.
I really disliked the backstory given for the character committing rape, it seemed very sympathetic to that character and was very out of place. I also started to roll my eyes at every single simile in this novella- for which there are hundreds.
I wouldn’t recommend this book, it’s not that I can’t handle the material (I am a big fan and reader of extreme horror), I just feel it’s so discombobulated and it did not leave me with an impression that it was well planned out or well edited.
I really disliked the backstory given for the character committing rape, it seemed very sympathetic to that character and was very out of place. I also started to roll my eyes at every single simile in this novella- for which there are hundreds.
I wouldn’t recommend this book, it’s not that I can’t handle the material (I am a big fan and reader of extreme horror), I just feel it’s so discombobulated and it did not leave me with an impression that it was well planned out or well edited.