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itsheyfay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Medical trauma, Body horror, Grief, Racism, Animal cruelty, Death, Medical content, and Bullying
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Ableism, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Classism, Vomit, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child abuse, Abandonment, and Pedophilia
rice_cooker's review
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual harassment, Medical content, Gore, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Classism, Death, Racism, Blood, Body shaming, Death of parent, Grief, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Eating disorder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Murder, Violence, and Car accident
Minor: Body shaming, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, and Suicide
danimacuk's review
- 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: Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Vomit, Pregnancy, Classism, Medical trauma, Animal death, Racism, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, and Death of parent
Minor: Blood, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, and Grief
emilywemily6's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Alcohol, Grief, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Bullying, Death, Cursing, Medical content, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Drug use, Gore, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Miscarriage, Infertility, Pregnancy, Cannibalism, Car accident, and Animal cruelty
aleesquer'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
4.25
Graphic: Classism, Child abuse, Body horror, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Car accident, Drug use, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
sam_smith_of_tencendor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, Classism, and Racism
Minor: Body horror, Trafficking, Vomit, and Toxic relationship
spicyspookypotato's review
- 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
Graphic: Medical content, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Drug use, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Body horror, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Dementia, Death of parent, Death, Car accident, Animal cruelty, Violence, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Sexual violence, Classism, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
christinelangill's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Moderate: Body horror, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Car accident, Death, Animal death, and Classism
irenemarie'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: Grief, Terminal illness, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Body horror, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Body shaming, and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Infertility, Rape, Racism, Murder, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Drug use
Minor: Car accident, Eating disorder, Blood, and Vomit
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
HOLY SHIT WHAT DID I JUST READ?! I am still processing and I am completely creeped out😭
Our nameless Chinese American main character/first-person narrator takes a new job at Holistik, a wellness and beauty store (and infamous empire!) to make more money, after her parents get into a horrible accident and she is months late on their care facilities rent. She was once a promising classical music ingenue, but gave it up because of her parents’ tragedy. From the beginning, Holistik emits a bit of a cult-like aura, and it only gets darker and darker as the novel goes on! She starts to “drink the Kool Aid,” as one would say, as she gets more and more procedures done and implements hours-long nighttime skincare routines.
Our narrator (who takes on the name Anna to appease customers/her employers) takes on a second night job within a different branch of Holistik, but she never remembers what happens during those sessions and typically just wakes up in her bed a bit woozy. She begins to uncover darker and darker secrets about the company, at dire consequences for herself and those she loves dear. I had such a dreadful feeling reading this, just knowing something more sinister was waiting for her around the corner (not an *actual* monster, but moreso the monster of beauty standards, the wellness industry & the constant sell of achieving eternal youth & beauty!
Huang's writing of the narrative voice was searing, unimpressed and straightforward. She posited our narrator as deeply caring towards her parents, but once their accident happens, she is clearly deep in the wells of her grief. I can’t say too much else without spoiling this, but I will say that I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book, and for some reason, the scene with “Anna” having to tell an unhoused man who looked like her Ba to move from the Holistik storefront has stayed with me. She became so pulled to what Holistik wanted her to be, that she strayed so far from being the kind of person that her parents would be proud of. It’s an all too familiar push and pull of being a first-generation child of immigrants who is cautiously towing the line between wanting to assimilate and feel as if they belong in predominantly white spaces, like at Holistik, or be a child that your parents are proud of, and to prove that their sacrifice paid off in you. That moment really pained me.
Anyway, I will absolutely read more of LLH’s work, and am so impressed with this piece of dark, haunting horror!
Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Body horror, Death, Sexual violence, Racism, Blood, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, Torture, Rape, Medical trauma, Gore, Gaslighting, Grief, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, and Cursing