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goatsrsexy'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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, Cannibalism, Torture, Death, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, and Death of parent
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
simchareads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
The focus of the story is the privilege & racism, as well as the exploitive nature of “holistic wellness” consumerism in western countries.
This book does contain a substantial amount of body & medical horror, but I did find the descriptions to be fairly mild as someone that reads a lot of horror.
My main complaint is I felt the peak conflict & ending were a bit rushed as far as pacing, but overall the story had excellent build up.
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Cannibalism
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
claraandthesun's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Animal cruelty, Gore, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, and Sexual assault
bluejayreads's review
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual content, Sexism, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, and Bullying
Unreality Narrator is on several cases drugged without her knowledge and/or agreementzeroschatz's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Body horror, Trafficking, Gaslighting, and Drug use
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Violence, and Rape
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
reianb's review
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Animal cruelty, Rape, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Medical content, and Sexual assault