Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez

75 reviews

librarymouse's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

This was more engaging than the last of Mariana Enriquez's books that I read, but the removal of womens' agency explored, especially in the last piece, even as done through an attempt to radically assert that agency, was more unsettling than I expect. I also was not a fan of the trope of using disabilities or injuries to define people as monstrous.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, Classism, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Abortion, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Violence, Blood, Drug abuse, Vomit, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicide, and Gore

nadia's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

A super solid collection of stories! I did not realise I was going into such dark, creepy, horror vibes, but I was here for it. As always, some stories were just okay, and even with some of my faves, I felt a little let-down with the endings. It's not that I'd need an explanation of what happens — oh no, that'd take away from the story — it's just that I felt like I spent time building up to an ending and then all of a sudden it was over. I guess you'd say it was a pacing thing.

Anyway, really good, with my faves being The Neighbor's Courtyard, Adela's House, and, Under The Black Water.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, and Murder

Moderate: Rape

isarza's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

3.5 estrellas porque no me gustaron todos los cuentos pero en general creo que disfruté leer a esta autora. 
Mis cuentos favoritos fueron "la casa de Adela", "nada de carne sobre nosotras", "bajo el agua negra". "Bajo el agua negra" me recordó a Lovecraft y me gustó esta referencia. 
Quisiera leer "los peligros de fumar en la cama" que dicen que es aún mejor. 

Odié el final de "el patio del vecino" Trigger warning por tener escenas de maltrato animal. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Blood, and Body horror

Minor: Rape, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Torture, Excrement, Gore, Violence, Death, and Eating disorder

paginasmarcadas's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

Si bien me gustó, algunas de las historias me dejaron esperando más. Sobre todo las del principio se sienten como largas descripciones de una sola escena antes que un cuento completo. Va se flojo a mejor, los últimos me parecieron mucho más interesantes y los temas son variados, siempre con una impronta muy clara de su escritura que con solo una oración te revuelve las tripas.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Addiction, Blood, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Child abuse, Police brutality, Body horror, Confinement, Excrement, and Murder

Moderate: Eating disorder and Excrement

arenas_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, and Blood

erma11's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Strong surrealism vibes, based in Argentina. Dark, grotesque, graphic, and highly interesting. After every short story I was left feeling a little spooked and reflecting on what I just read. Wonderful writing! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, Classism, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Pedophilia, Violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexism, Torture, Addiction, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

seaoftranquility's review against another edition

dark

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Eating disorder

cass_lit's review

2.25

Nope. This was not for me. I have two major issues:
1) The format. These were short stories that didn’t seem interconnected, but most (I think at least one wasn’t) were told in first person. This means as soon as you figure out who your narrator is, because there’s no omniscient one to tell you, you’re moving onto another narrator. I don’t dislike short stories or essays as a rule, but this one really didn’t work for me. 
2) The content. What the fuck. I get that it’s macabre intentionally and meant to reflect the horror of reality, but when these topics are brought up in short stories like this without the space to discuss them… it just feels exploitative. 

Some examples, though I’m sure I’m forgetting a few (*trigger and spoiler warnings ahead*): child abuse, child rape, child murder, child neglect, alcohol and drug abuse, rape, murder, abuse, animal cruelty (including eating of a live cat), use of the r-word and racist/xenophobic/classist language. And again — I get that these are unfortunately real horrors sometimes (or are meant to represent other real issues), but *I* don’t like when there’s no discussion on them apart from their shock value. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Excrement, Sexual violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Fatphobia, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Rape, Animal death, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

Moderate: Police brutality, Body horror, Body shaming, and Classism

Minor: Lesbophobia and Gaslighting

mayasr's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

fantastic & twisted

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Violence, Child death, Body horror, Murder, Gore, Death, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury

naimar's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Unsettling stories, the translator’s note at the end definitely helps put them into perspective. Some felt incomplete. The imagery is quite visceral, good horror. Not every story was memorable though. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Violence