Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito

65 reviews

books_in_wales's review against another edition

3.25

challenging dark medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Abandonment

jmhenderson's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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An appropriate subtitle would be: All the Trigger Warnings

This book is dark AF.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

fluffernutter's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark sad fast-paced

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I'm not sure how to rate this. It was fascinating and horrifying and sometimes funny. I read it in two days and it kept me hooked. I never say this, but I hope there's a sequel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury

eliya95's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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All women should be allowed to be a little evil every once in a while. I’ve been reading a lot of Victorian horror recently, and this is such a good tribute to the genre. While the repression of female emotion may not be the driving factor of the narrator explicitly, it is clearly a theme and cause of distress and “darkness” throughout the novel. It was weird. It was gross. It was violent. Nothing was gratuitous. Nothing was just for shock value. Nothing was just to be edgy. It added to the story. It was horror in the brilliant way women write horror, and the ending was what I can only describe as chef’s kiss. What our narrator hid her psychopathy through, female charm and wit and the underestimating of female intelligence and darkness, ended up being what brought her, and everyone else down. I loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

shay43geek's review against another edition

4.0

dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Murder

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence

Minor: Body shaming, Abandonment

tribe8fan's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Twisted humor, mystery, slasher horror.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Torture, Death of parent

laestaci's review against another edition

4.0

dark funny lighthearted medium-paced

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Witty and wicked. Frito’s descriptions and inner dialogue of the main character are visceral, colorful, disturbing, disgusting, compelling, impressive all at once. I enjoyed imagining this as a real person during the Victorian era, a la Lizzie Borden.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Gore, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

hodgeonlucy's review against another edition

4.25

dark funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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I am wholeheartedly convinced that the phrase ‘I support women’s rights and wrongs’ is about this book. This short yet punchy novel introduces an unforgettably deranged female protagonist who you can’t help but like due to her Fleabag-esque quips and unapologetically feral behaviour. 

I cannot recommend listening to the audiobook more - it is such a twistedly enjoyable romp that would be perfect for November in much the same way that the Nightmare Before Christmas suits that weird limbo month between spooky and festive periods.

As immensely readable and evocative as this book was, I can’t fail to see why it has been picked up so quickly to be a film. It is truly made to be adapted. I can only hope that the film manages to deliver the same sadistic and sardonic tone that this book excels at. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Murder

bookiesncreme's review against another edition

4.0

dark medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual content

hannargh's review against another edition

5.0

dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Do you like your horror stories absolutely feral? Do you like your gothic stories to be inverted where the terror of the house is the protagonist, and you know her every bonkers thought? Can you manage insane (INSANE) amounts of straight-faced blood and gore?

If you said no to any of the above then absolutely do not read this book. It will horrify you and you will hate it.
If you're thinking sure I could handle some pervasion then you are in for a treat.

The writing is slick and fast-paced. There is no sympathy for Winnifred Notty, but none for her wards or guests of Endsor House either. It also pokes fun at the period and its own genre.

I'm not sure what it says about me that I really enjoyed it but I don't know what else to call it apart from feral.

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Classism