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anne311's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Abandonment, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Stalking, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
itsmeyseniab's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was hands-down one of the weirdest books that I have ever read. I love the podcast format of these books (and furthermore the audiobooks themselves), but I will say that this one didn’t keep my attention as much as I thought that it would. The big reveal at the end (Arla’s psychiatrist being the father of one of her attackers ) was a mindf*** though! I just thought some of the other aspects of the novel (the black-eyed kids, online bullies/doxxers didn’t make for an engaging subplot).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Mental illness
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Stalking, and Bullying
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Rape
katkinslee's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I love this series so much
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Fatphobia, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
ridleyreadsthings's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm in love and addicted to this series. Its like binging an actual true crime podcast - I can hear the voices in my head and can effortlessly follow and piece together the mystery.
Hydra kicks it up a notch from six stories, this time dealing with a family massacre (although I wouldn't call it a massacre really..) and once again we get six different insights that build a bigger picture as each person adds more layers and question. The true crime aspect is blended into the world of the Occult which seems to be a running theme and leaves you wondering, was it just a mentally ill girl having an episode, or was some darker supernatural forces at play?
I constantly wondered this but I feel the book wants you to lean more into the Supernatural aspect as we explore creepy pastas, urban legends and Internet games. It's flawlessly crafted with no stone left unturned, and leaves you wanting more and more with every turn and twist.
Like the narrator Scott says, he's not here to solve it but leaves it up to you and he really does, with you not knowing what to believe but with a pretty good idea that leaves more questions than answers, but still somehow wraps it up nicely and leaves you satisfied.
Matt Wesolowski builds a compelling story than delivers on tension and atmosphere, with a mythology that will send chills down your spine.
Hydra kicks it up a notch from six stories, this time dealing with a family massacre (although I wouldn't call it a massacre really..) and once again we get six different insights that build a bigger picture as each person adds more layers and question. The true crime aspect is blended into the world of the Occult which seems to be a running theme and leaves you wondering, was it just a mentally ill girl having an episode, or was some darker supernatural forces at play?
I constantly wondered this but I feel the book wants you to lean more into the Supernatural aspect as we explore creepy pastas, urban legends and Internet games. It's flawlessly crafted with no stone left unturned, and leaves you wanting more and more with every turn and twist.
Like the narrator Scott says, he's not here to solve it but leaves it up to you and he really does, with you not knowing what to believe but with a pretty good idea that leaves more questions than answers, but still somehow wraps it up nicely and leaves you satisfied.
Matt Wesolowski builds a compelling story than delivers on tension and atmosphere, with a mythology that will send chills down your spine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Bullying
danidamico's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Me gustó muchísimo esta novela. Hydra es uno de los pocos libros de terror que realmente logró asustarme. Sentí miedo, al nivel de que no podía leerlo de noche. Me resultó muy perturbador todo el tema de las leyendas urbanas, las creepypastas, los peligros del agujero negro que puede ser internet. Matt Wesolowski construye momentos que explotan de tensión y te dejan aguantando la respiración página a página.
Hydra es el segundo libro de la serie Six Stories, que consta de cinco novelas. Cada una narra distintos casos en formato de podcast, como si fuera una transcripción. Los libros tienen en común al creador de este podcast ficticio, Scott King. Si bien es una colección, cada libro puede leerse de manera independiente, por eso me tomé el atrevimiento de comenzar por el número dos, pero probablemente vaya leyendo todos en un futuro.
Si tuviera que marcar lo que menos me gustó, diría que fue el final. No me terminó de convencer del todo y creo que los mejores momentos de la novela son aquellos en los que abunda la ambigüedad entre el mundo real y lo sobrenatural, cuando no terminamos de discernir qué carajo está pasando. Esos momentos de tensión e intriga me parecieron increíbles.
En fin, definitivamente se convirtió en una de mis lecturas de terror favoritas y estoy entusiasmada (y asustada) de continuar con la serie.
Hydra es el segundo libro de la serie Six Stories, que consta de cinco novelas. Cada una narra distintos casos en formato de podcast, como si fuera una transcripción. Los libros tienen en común al creador de este podcast ficticio, Scott King. Si bien es una colección, cada libro puede leerse de manera independiente, por eso me tomé el atrevimiento de comenzar por el número dos, pero probablemente vaya leyendo todos en un futuro.
Si tuviera que marcar lo que menos me gustó, diría que fue el final. No me terminó de convencer del todo y creo que los mejores momentos de la novela son aquellos en los que abunda la ambigüedad entre el mundo real y lo sobrenatural, cuando no terminamos de discernir qué carajo está pasando. Esos momentos de tensión e intriga me parecieron increíbles.
En fin, definitivamente se convirtió en una de mis lecturas de terror favoritas y estoy entusiasmada (y asustada) de continuar con la serie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide
its_ms_wilson's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Mental illness, Suicide, and Rape
thaatswhatsheread's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
4.5
After reading Six Stories, the first in the series, I finally got around to its sequel, Hydra, and I am glad I did! I think these books are absolutely underrated.
For those unfamiliar, the Six Stories books are written as a podcast transcript. Each book/ podcast season follows a crime, much like Serial, and each episode they interview someone close to the crime.
This book followed a girl from a mining town in England who murdered her parents and sister with a hammer, and was sentenced to life in a mental health facility. The crime took place in the 00's and her obsession with a dark (emo?) musical artist brought out a Satanic Panic angle to the crime. I don't want to say much else, but as a lover of podcasts, crime stories and podcasts this all came together to form the perfect mixture of all these elements.
After reading Six Stories, the first in the series, I finally got around to its sequel, Hydra, and I am glad I did! I think these books are absolutely underrated.
For those unfamiliar, the Six Stories books are written as a podcast transcript. Each book/ podcast season follows a crime, much like Serial, and each episode they interview someone close to the crime.
This book followed a girl from a mining town in England who murdered her parents and sister with a hammer, and was sentenced to life in a mental health facility. The crime took place in the 00's and her obsession with a dark (emo?) musical artist brought out a Satanic Panic angle to the crime. I don't want to say much else, but as a lover of podcasts, crime stories and podcasts this all came together to form the perfect mixture of all these elements.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Murder, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Rape
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