Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

7 reviews

tangleroot_eli's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

H.H. Holmes/White City + dybbuk + queer Jewish immigrants + anarchist + right up my alley! Gorier than I usually go for but well worth handling the "ick factor."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Antisemitism, Body horror, Murder, Gore, Pedophilia, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Racial slurs, Classism, Animal death, Homophobia, Gun violence, and Rape

Minor: Body shaming

toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Loved this book! Its definitely not "feel good" in the cozy and soft sense but it made me really happy to have so many Jewish and Yiddish references. The mystery was also very compelling, and I loved the development of

Frankie and Alter's relationship

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Hate crime, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Body horror, Child death, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Self harm, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Rape

Minor: Homophobia

This book deals heavily with antisemitism and revolves around a serial killer who targets Jewish boys and men. There is also heavily implied pedophilia and assault/rape of minors. Lots of violence and murder and the main character often mildly self harms to ground himself. While possessed by the dybbuk of his murdered friend, he also experiences visions and flashbacks

novella42's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Homophobia, Child death, Hate crime, Grief, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Death, Antisemitism, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual violence

lanid's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism and Body horror

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Murder, Racism, Rape, and Religious bigotry

anniereads221's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Body horror, Child death, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, and Suicide

melaniereadsbooks's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for an arc of this book.

When Alter's roommate ends up dead during the World's Fair in 1893 Chicago, Alter knows that it wasn't the accident the police are claiming it was. A string of deaths and disappearances of young Jewish boys are cropping up over the city. To make matters worse, ever since his friend's death, Alter has been experiencing hallucinations and black outs that leave all-too-real marks on his body. He is determined to find out what really happened and put his friend's spirit to rest.

Wow, this book was mysterious and tense throughout! It took me a little ways to get into it, but once I did I was completely addicted! Alter is such a sympathetic character and I loved following his point of view as he discovered what was really going on in the City. I also....I am in love with Frankie. I'm sorry, but he is perfect. He is like.... a slightly-less-traumatized Kaz Brekker but also gay. Yup. I'm in love.

The prose in this book was beautiful and I truly loved it!

Pub Date: Oct 5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Antisemitism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Hate crime

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Genocide, Death of parent, Rape, and Pedophilia

kayladaila's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I received an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The City Beautiful is a Jewish, gay, YA horror mystery set around the Chicago World’s Fair. It was a bit of a slow novel at the beginning, but did eventually pick up speed. All of the characters were well developed and came from different but historically accurate perspectives. I’m personally not a fan of horror, so parts of this were a bit much for me, but that doesn’t make it any less of a great read. The Jewish representation was phenomenal and I hope it comes across well to nonJewish readers. My favorite thing about this book is that it was able to be a gay historical romance with absolutely no homophobia. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Pedophilia, and Rape

Minor: Physical abuse