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caileigh'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, Car accident, and Fatphobia
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
punk_flower_child's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Rape, Grief, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Gore, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Cannibalism
mfrisk's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
3.5
There were so many quotable moments related to beauty, grief, and art and we really get into the head of our unnamed narrator through her experience which with time becomes gradually more horrific. That aspect I liked but I do wish there had been less characters to keep track of besides our main narrator. That to me got confusing though I can understand why they may have made that choice. The book really goes off the rails with its ending which in some ways I enjoyed but in other ways left me feeling confused/wanting more.
Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Vomit, Rape, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Car accident, and Body horror
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Torture, and Animal cruelty
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
whitneymouse's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Dysphoria, and Death of parent
Moderate: Vomit, Fatphobia, Racism, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Blood, Cannibalism, Xenophobia, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, and Miscarriage
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Pedophilia
seagullsaga's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Fatphobia, Classism, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Body horror, Drug use, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Body shaming, Rape, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Dementia, Eating disorder, Grief, and Sexual content
Minor: Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Fire/Fire injury
growplantsreadbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
The writing is equally gorgeous and gross. The plot is fast paced and though the climax felt somewhat inevitable, the ending stayed true to the core message and I thought it was beautiful.
I will think of this every time I take a supplement or try a new skin care product...
Graphic: Islamophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Sexual assault, Medical content, Vomit, Bullying, and Adult/minor relationship
ariizolas's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship