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themissyreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Body horror, Torture, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Kidnapping, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Classism, Mental illness, Self harm, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Animal death
Minor: Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, and Forced institutionalization
Restrictive dieting, parental neglect, discussion/referenced Satanic Panic, referenced divorce, Institutional violence, powerlessness,grunbean's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Though I wouldn’t pick it up if you don’t like bugs!
Moderate: Vomit, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident and Drug use
immovabletype's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Drug use, Body shaming, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Mass/school shootings
tifftastic87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Synopsis
Abby is a scholarship girl at a prestigious private school in South Carolina in the 80s. By the standards of the era and the region, she is an outcast. That is until a new girl comes to town, Gretchen, and becomes Abby's ride or die. Everything goes down hill when Gretchen runs off to the woods one night and comes back a little wrong. Gretchen's behavior starts spiraling out of control, none of the adults believe Abby and she finds herself ostracized and on the verge of expulsion. It all culminates when the only adult that believes Abby is a muscle bound, neon clad, evangelist. But will his faith and Abby's determination be enough to save Gretchen?
High Camp Tension
This was so campy and satirical that it really made the story for me. I have a lot of religious trauma around "deliverance" so was really pleased that it was handled in such a campy way, that made the uncomfortable bits a little easier to stomach. Every time I felt my stomach clenching there would be some sort of comedic relief. If that is not necessarily something that you look for in a horror, and I usually don't either, then maybe this one isn't for you.
Girl Crew
At first Abby is extremely unlikable, at least to me, she is selfish and whiny and somewhat rude. But she has a good moment where she makes a decision on who she wants to be and her character just changes from there to a very likeable, if not frustrating (stand up for yourself woman!), character. The friendship dynamic among the girls is actually pretty relatable to growing up in the 80s/90s. I don't know how teens treat each other now, but even in to the very early 00s this felt pretty true to form. I have heard from some reviewers that Grady Hendrix is "banned" from writing women after Final Girl Support Group, but I actually really liked how he did it here.
The Satanic Panic of it All
This, combined with the War on Drugs, was so perfect. I think this is what I wanted out of Whisper Down the Lane and was severely disappointed in that book. Abby is accused of selling drugs and committing satan worship, when she's probably the most quintessential high school student, but doing it all with perfect grades. Any time any of the kids has an emotion the adults are quick to ask "are you on drugs?" Which feels so, well, real. I have strong memories of very similar conversations in my youth.
In Short
I really enjoyed this book, I thought some of it could have been better. But only by bits and pieces. I really loved all of the chapters being named after songs from the era and how important music was to the story itself. I think this is a case where pop culture references were done very well. I would definitely recommend this to people who are new to horror, as it is very light on the horror. Though do check the content warnings.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Physical abuse, Torture, Bullying, Classism, Mental illness, Grief, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Infidelity, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual content, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Rape, and Gore
smylieman's review
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Death, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Animal death, Body horror, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Eating disorder, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape
pages_with_puppies's review
4.5
It was giving very much campy teen horror movie think Jennifers Body x Stranger Things. The chapter titles being songs was a hugely welcomed addition I was getting songs stuck in my head left and right.
The half star reduction was for that one scene near the end
I was a bit bothered at first by the way the author wrote and portrayed female friendships in teenagers but after a bit it definitely started to come off as a caricature and like it was being purposefully exaggerated not just a case of men writing women poorly. I was even able to relate to the girls and their friendships a lot although sometimes it did go a little far.
And lastly who said it was ok to make me cry at the end of a horror? That ending hit so much harder than I was expecting.
Would recommend if you are into the supernatural, 80’s, female friendships, coming of age.
Would not recommend if you are looking for a straight up horror with no deeper meaning.
Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Rape, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Violence, Racism, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Car accident
tiernanhunter's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Grief, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, Gun violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, and Forced institutionalization
geektastically's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Torture, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Violence, Blood, Grief, Sexism, Bullying, Car accident, Chronic illness, Vomit, Body horror, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
melliedm's review
- 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
3.5
Felt like the sapphic undertones were purposeful (lampshades! Lampshades everywhere!), but completely unfulfilled. How you can go from DBNQ to DAQ and then tell me how they ended and miss the chance to complete the sentence is a disappointment. But it was a fun read despite that.
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Vomit, Body horror, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Animal death, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, and Mental illness
Moderate: Car accident, Alcohol, Racism, Mass/school shootings, Racial slurs, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Gun violence
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Slavery
weatherd's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Slavery, Blood, Car accident, Sexism, Rape, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Classism, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Cultural appropriation, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Self harm, Racial slurs, and Mental illness