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dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
A wild ride. 3.5 stars is probably harsh because the quality of writing was an easy 5 stars. But I just think this wasn't a 5 star read for me for whatever reason. Its pretty uncomfy to read in a good way, and all of the characters are kind of horrible. I've never been excellent at understanding books' deeper/true meaning, especially books which are specifically setting out to confuse, but at the same time it's all part of the experience where you go down this twisting, unreal, dreamlike rabbit hole alongside the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, Blood
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Self harm, Blood
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An absolute fever dream of a book. If you're looking for something eerie, graphic, or twisted, look no further. Just don't expect normal.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
i felt like i was in drugs wtf this is amazing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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
Not my type of stuff but I appreciate it for what it was. It was super twisted and slightly horrific but still managed to connect you to the main character’s loneliness. The desire for connection and also a really good observation (and exaggeration) of studying the arts, stereotypes and cliques.
I’ll admit I have absolutely no idea what was happening half the time or if certain things were meant to mean something in particular. But the writing was still succinct it was more the symbolism of it that I don’t think I totally understood
I’ll admit I have absolutely no idea what was happening half the time or if certain things were meant to mean something in particular. But the writing was still succinct it was more the symbolism of it that I don’t think I totally understood
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don't know how many times I have layed the book on my chest after reading a chapter and just said to myself "what the fuck, what the actual fuck just happened". This whole book is like one big fever dream and it was excellent. I imagine someone could go on and on analysing every tiny little detail of this and tell you why it was brilliant. I just know that it was.
This is definitely not a book you want to read when you are having any sort of hallucination-ish symptoms of any kind. I learned that the hard way and put it away immediately. It definitely makes you think you are going insane. But I fucking love that.
This is definitely not a book you want to read when you are having any sort of hallucination-ish symptoms of any kind. I learned that the hard way and put it away immediately. It definitely makes you think you are going insane. But I fucking love that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use
Moderate: Self harm
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is just SO close to being what it wants to be. I wanted so badly for this to be a 5-star read & a favorite because all the bones are there. There's SO many interesting ideas and its humor, commentary, characters, and emotionality are more of a hit than a miss. But the pieces fail to come together in a satisfying way. I feel like the best way to describe this book is it feels like early 2010s-era tumblr. What I will say is it's a fun ride and elements of it will definitely stick with me in a good way. But I loved it more for its potential than for what it was. I also find one of the possible interpretations of the story to be a tired, harmful, and uninventive trope. So I think reading it literally, and as if everything that's happening is actually happening, makes for a stronger read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Gore, Violence, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Self harm, Death of parent
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The best way I can describe this book is if Heathers and Doki Doki Literature Club had a love child, and you and that love child got high together. Reading it feels like an acid trip in the best way.
The setting of Warren University is the perfect backdrop for a story like this, and Awad gives an excellent description of a seemingly picturesque facade that is much more sinister after a closer look - a concept that many students at prestigious universities understand all too well! Samantha is not meant to be particularly likeable, and I like that her pretentious, holier-than-thou mindset is called out in a way that also calls out every “I’m not like other girls” main character ever. The ending seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere but there are clever elements of foreshadowing throughout that make sense only when the pieces are put together at the end.
The setting of Warren University is the perfect backdrop for a story like this, and Awad gives an excellent description of a seemingly picturesque facade that is much more sinister after a closer look - a concept that many students at prestigious universities understand all too well! Samantha is not meant to be particularly likeable, and I like that her pretentious, holier-than-thou mindset is called out in a way that also calls out every “I’m not like other girls” main character ever. The ending seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere but there are clever elements of foreshadowing throughout that make sense only when the pieces are put together at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual content, Car accident
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Stalking