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leila_reads_too_much's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Dementia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Colonisation
sophi_b's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
iseefirede's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
I feel this book was too explicit in its themes. There was no subtlety to it. The therapist she sees is used to explain what we could've inferred was going on. There's not much, if any, character development.
If you are looking for a quick horror read, this is for you. If you're looking to explore themes of generational trauma, you probably should look elsewhere.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body shaming and Abandonment
Minor: Dementia and War
queergoth_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book took my heart, shattered it into pieces and then put it back together. It was both beautiful and harrowing. It was very difficult to read in many places but it was so worth it. The way that the author wove the horrors of the supernatural with the struggles of being a woman and a mother was fantastic. Honestly I'm still struggling to put into words the impact this book has had on me.
My only issue is sometimes the writing was a little stilted. There was one (short) chapter that felt like it didn't want to be there at all.
Graphic: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Colonisation
abbie_'s review against another edition
3.0
If you’re looking for some creepy horror fiction to add as a late addition to your October TBR, consider The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro! I had a few stylistic issues with it, but in terms of creepiness and content, I can’t fault that - I had to hold off reading it for a night when my girlfriend wasn’t here as I couldn’t deal with the idea of seeing La Llorona at the end of my hallway when I went for a nighttime wee 😂😂
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
ecn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
tigger89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Well, she absolutely loved it. She agreed with me that it wasn't traditionally scary(except for one scene near the end involving a toilet, be warned), but that wasn't what she was reading it for. Apparently, this novel is the best depiction she's ever read of what it feels like to sacrifice your career, your social life, your preferences, everything that makes you you, in order to be a wife and mother. So what was a miss for me(unmarried, childfree) resonated extremely powerfully with her.
Something I did like was the emphasis on Alejandra's maternal ancestors, tracing the history of the haunting back through time. I thought that was very well-executed, and I was able to hold each of the women distinct in my mind. Apart from the fact that the book held my hand all the way through it, I enjoyed uncovering the mystery of La Llorona. I also appreciated that Alejandra was bisexual, not for any plot-related reason, just because she could be so why not? Always love that. There was also a very positive depiction of therapy-slash-spiritual-healing, and I appreciated reading a book where the protagonist realized early on that things were Not Okay and sought help, rather than stubbornly sticking it out on their own as their mental health collapses.
Ultimately, I think I'm going to split the difference between my mom's opinion and my own, giving this four stars overall.
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity
poisoned_icecream's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Misogyny, Racism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
Moderate: Miscarriage and War
gem114's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I had a hard time sympathizing with Alejandra regarding her situation, despite the fact that I know the author meant for me to feel for her. I also don’t think she’s a healthy representation of mental health struggles, as she goes from rock bottom to an empowered woman ready to battle literal demons after only a month or so of therapy. I found myself more drawn to minor characters, like Melanie, Flor, and Francine. I enjoyed the lore of La Llorona and little details about Mexican culture.
I think I probably would have liked this book better if it had been edited down about 100 pages. The organization would have needed to be tighter, fewer loose ends regarding the ancestor characters, less repetitive descriptions of the creature, etc.
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Rape, Car accident, and Colonisation
lanternsjourney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Colonisation