Scan barcode
mothiver's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
truly peak animorphs - that classic balance of bizarre nonsense, soulcrushing tragedy, and genuinely creepy horror elements, now told by an even MORE unreliable narrator with significantly worse morals!
it is also peak marco characterisation. good god this kid.
this books works great as a stand-also, and is also the only chronicles book I consider genuinely necessary if you want to to Understand Animorphs (andalite chronicles adds a lot too, but it’s not quite as fundamental)
it is also peak marco characterisation. good god this kid.
this books works great as a stand-also, and is also the only chronicles book I consider genuinely necessary if you want to to Understand Animorphs (andalite chronicles adds a lot too, but it’s not quite as fundamental)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Slavery
Moderate: Toxic relationship, War, Ableism, Child abuse, Drug use, and Violence
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Gun violence
the sexual assault is not directly referenced as such - because, y’know, kids book - but any adult reading the book will notice that there was definitely intercourse without consent “offscreen”eemilycolleen's review
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
yeah bitch, she’s rereading animorphs! and she started with the darkest one! it’s a psychological thriller, it’s a courtroom drama, it’s a wartime romance, it’s colonialism as told by the colonizer. it’s the intermingling of motherhood and obsession and imperialism, all wrapped up with a shiny unreliable narrator bow. it’s disgusting!!!! it’s incredible. it’s visser by k.a. applegate.
edriss is so evil in such a human way; “the absence of metaphor is so striking,” you know? she is an abuser & an enslaver & a rapist & a murderer and through it all she’s also a mother and it’s never once subtext, it’s just literally the story she tells us. insane book. i cannot believe i read this as a child.
and then there's eva, who is here-and-not-here in every moment of the story, who watches in horror as her body commits literal war crimes, who holds her son in her arms and sees absolution so so close and then turns around and says: no. leave me here. who believes she was CHOSEN BY GOD to bear (and abandon!) the savior of the world: “I believe in a higher power, Yeerk. I believe I was taken so that my son would grow strong and wise and some day defeat you.” (????????????? yes. it really is that catholic. insane!)
and marco, my absolute son marco, who is like fifteen years old and was raised by a parasitic alien abusive mom AND is also the best tactician in a war he's been fighting for two years with only five other kids. the fact that eva gives him up because she deadass believes HER ONLY BEGOTTEN SON is the singular hope for earth and then,,,, what? he just has to keep fighting. because if not, what's her sacrifice for. THE JESUS OF IT ALL.
i can't believe scholastic published this. we are so lucky.
edriss is so evil in such a human way; “the absence of metaphor is so striking,” you know? she is an abuser & an enslaver & a rapist & a murderer and through it all she’s also a mother and it’s never once subtext, it’s just literally the story she tells us. insane book. i cannot believe i read this as a child.
and then there's eva, who is here-and-not-here in every moment of the story, who watches in horror as her body commits literal war crimes, who holds her son in her arms and sees absolution so so close and then turns around and says: no. leave me here. who believes she was CHOSEN BY GOD to bear (and abandon!) the savior of the world: “I believe in a higher power, Yeerk. I believe I was taken so that my son would grow strong and wise and some day defeat you.” (????????????? yes. it really is that catholic. insane!)
and marco, my absolute son marco, who is like fifteen years old and was raised by a parasitic alien abusive mom AND is also the best tactician in a war he's been fighting for two years with only five other kids. the fact that eva gives him up because she deadass believes HER ONLY BEGOTTEN SON is the singular hope for earth and then,,,, what? he just has to keep fighting. because if not, what's her sacrifice for. THE JESUS OF IT ALL.
i can't believe scholastic published this. we are so lucky.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Abandonment, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Slavery, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Body horror, and Addiction
jessthanthree's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent
More...