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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
ichewonpushpins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Alcohol, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Violence, Body horror, Child death, Medical content, Sexual violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Fatphobia
Horrible Gothic horror brutality told with a dry, clinical tone. This book was a bizarre and shockingly violent ride.harpybuns'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
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Blood, Body horror, Medical content, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Infertility
Minor: Animal cruelty, Grief, Vomit, and Gun violence
luthienslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Body horror, Blood, Child abuse, Torture, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, and Sexual assault
pagesandplanets'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: Death and Medical content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Blood, Miscarriage, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Child death and Alcohol
thayerbowen's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Blood, Death, Gore, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Miscarriage
maimy_santiago99'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
3.5
A nice twist on the latest trend in Gothic horror, I found some of the more esoteric bits of world building a bit too puzzling to be creepy. I think the normally of people with their organs outside their bodies and with mechanical replacements, for example, could have been established as being completely ordinary and not unusual a bit earlier, though I don't know how without it becoming tedious and ruining that lovely opening. The mysteries abound and few are explored, though, and that pulled me out of the story a bit as things continued to tangle but very few threads came loose.
The queerness in the story is simultaneously entirely incidental and completely pervasive- a character with he/him pronouns who lactates and acted as a wet nurse presented and seen as just another person rather than a trans person or a genetic anomaly (I assume the former, but in the world of the novel it could easily be the latter), the androgyny of the narrator for the first half of the book, the almost neglectful acceptance of physical differences... It's clear that in this world, queerness of any stripe isn't a huge deal to anyone who doesn't desperately want heirs, to the point where it is ubiquitous and almost blasé in its presentation, but it still feels revolutionary in the world we live in.
The twins were a highlight for me, and I'd happily have read a version of this novel that centered on them instead of the doctor/narrator (which is not to say I didn't enjoy this version!)
All in all, an enjoyable debut. I'll keep an eye out for their sophomore effort.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical trauma, and Medical content
Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Blood
Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Confinement
cold_boy'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
5.0
This is the horror novel I've been craving for a very long time.
Bonus audiobook narration review: I didn't realize Abigail Thorn was the narrator until I hit play, which was a pleasant surprise but I worried my familiarity with her work would distract me from the narration. Fortunately that wasn't a problem, and she absolutely embodied the characters (especially our nameless protagonist). While sometimes she came across as a bit inexperienced, I hope she keeps doing narration, because she has a very expressive and unique voice.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child death, Rape, Blood, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Gore
ofbooksandechos'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Body horror
Moderate: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Medical content, Blood, Violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Genocide and Alcohol
CW: loss of body autonomy, dissociation and PTSDlanid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Gun violence, Medical content, Genocide, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Infidelity