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oriana095'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, and Medical content
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Death, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Rape, Physical abuse, and Murder
justinecm'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
5.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Gore, Miscarriage, Murder, Violence, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Body horror, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Gun violence, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide, Genocide, and Alcohol
voxvenati's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
So many of the things I could say in favor of this book are spoilers, but even the premise alone is a treat. I can’t express how often I’m let down after a promising synopsis and excellent first chapter. This was not one of those times.
Every chapter builds. Tension. Drama. Intrigue. Every character was crisp and distinct. Every nugget of world building fascinated me. The dialect of the locals. The fables. The history. I am left wanting. Ravenous for more.
It’s dense. It can be clinical at times. I loved it because it fits the narrative. And it does start to change.
I have never had such a seamless experience reading about LGBTQ+ characters where they just are. It isn’t clumsy or ham-fisted. It’s natural. It’s real. It was so fucking good.
And my dear dead gods, the slow reveal of the post-apocalypse, that the Institute and Pseudomycota are a part of that of that too? Exquisite.
The only reason this wasn’t a full 5 stars is because I never got that overwhelming sense of dread. Still, pretty damn close.
This is all said with the understanding this is a horror. There are some difficult topics. There is medical horror, body horror, and all sorts of other things. Read the content warnings if you have triggers.
But if the premise piques your interest, and if you’re not too squeamish, this is a must read.
Graphic: Gore, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Suicide, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
Minor: Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, and Cannibalism
whimsywack0o's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical content, and Sexual assault
beetitnerds's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Child death, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, and Death
uncreativeoops's review against another edition
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Gore, Violence, Alcoholism, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Body horror, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide
danimacuk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Classism, Violence, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, and Body horror
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Cursing, Infertility, Drug use, and Grief
nexusgoblin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It's such a weird story but I absolutely LOVE the idea and the gothic horror style really pushed it to where it needed to be. The dread and intensity were just *chef's kiss*
Graphic: Terminal illness, Violence, Death, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault and Miscarriage
gilroi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think what I appreciate most about this novel is how much it trusts its readers, how confident it is with what it's trying to do. The twists aren't mindfucks, all reveals are telegraphed well in advance. Every change seems earned, all the dread is meaningful, and in the last sliver of the novel it goes from genre to literary, elegantly straddling both qualifiers to say something interesting, detailed, new, and worthwhile about identity, colonialism, gender, and medicine.
I cannot recommend it enough if you like a story bright with darkness, full of intention, inventive prose, lush worldbuilding, and smart narration.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Pregnancy, Classism, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Child abuse, Racism, Cursing, Death, Grief, Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Suicide, Colonisation, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Dysphoria, War, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
a1exander's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Medical content, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement