Scan barcode
sashajust4you's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
I absolutely loved the tension in this book, until we got to the ending. Tory finds out what's coming for them, they turn on the lights, and WHABAM we're two days further and we're being saved. The heck?
Preferably, I would have liked more time to digest that, but other than that I had a wonderful read.
Preferably, I would have liked more time to digest that, but other than that I had a wonderful read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Gun violence
Minor: Ableism
obscurepages's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- 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
4.5
HOLY SHT. This is one of the wildest rides I've ever been on.
This part horror, part science fiction is a masterpiece. It takes you on a damned journey to find the truth about about a ship and the creatures that attacked it. But it also takes you on a journey to know more about people, about humans, our environment, and both the known and unknown history and mysteries of our world.
This was just so so good. Atmospheric, poetic, dark, gritty. Also I loved the diversity in the cast.
Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire is a blessing in literature 🤧
Find me elsewhere: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/obscure.pages/">Instagram</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lxndrnae">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://enthralledbookworm.wordpress.com/">Blog</a>
Marking this book as part of reading challenge: <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/de133357-4196-421b-8d50-0445bfec4ec3/">#ReadQueerly2023</a>.
This part horror, part science fiction is a masterpiece. It takes you on a damned journey to find the truth about about a ship and the creatures that attacked it. But it also takes you on a journey to know more about people, about humans, our environment, and both the known and unknown history and mysteries of our world.
This was just so so good. Atmospheric, poetic, dark, gritty. Also I loved the diversity in the cast.
Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire is a blessing in literature 🤧
Find me elsewhere: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/obscure.pages/">Instagram</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lxndrnae">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://enthralledbookworm.wordpress.com/">Blog</a>
Marking this book as part of reading challenge: <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/de133357-4196-421b-8d50-0445bfec4ec3/">#ReadQueerly2023</a>.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Body horror, Gun violence, Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Sexual content, and Animal death
nefariousbee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
the constructed atmosphere in this book is absolutely phenomenal. I did not think I'd love all the science talk half as much as I ended up to, and the ease with which the author gets in the heads of all kinds of different people is so effortless and real... I just loved it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Gore, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Gaslighting
beccaand's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Death, Blood, Body horror, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Gun violence
Moderate: Ableism, Drug use, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Biphobia and Sexual content
spang's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The story is really fun and so tense is almost impossible to put down. There are a lot of characters but Grant excels at making them all really interesting and unique so it never becomes confusing to keep track of who is who, even a set of sisters, two of which are twins, who all have very similar H names.
The tension in this book is INTENSE, to the point where sometimes the lack of urgency with the characters became a bit too infuriating to be fun. For example, I don't care if you are under the impression that there are working shutters on the ship that are gonna lock the killer mermaids out, if I just made the scientific discovery that they were sentient and actively hunting us I would be running screaming to the captain, not pausing to hug and make small talk??? And then walk slowly there??? But I found it literally difficult to stop reading at any time, I had to know what was going to happen next.
There's also a lot of head hopping in this book. Like, a lot. Like a LOT. It got very distracting towards the end and made some parts confusing to keep track of.
But I think the good parts far make up for the bad. This is a thrilling mystery with believable science, incredible characters, and a really tight plot. Had a lot of fun with it.
The tension in this book is INTENSE, to the point where sometimes the lack of urgency with the characters became a bit too infuriating to be fun. For example,
There's also a lot of head hopping in this book. Like, a lot. Like a LOT. It got very distracting towards the end and made some parts confusing to keep track of.
But I think the good parts far make up for the bad. This is a thrilling mystery with believable science, incredible characters, and a really tight plot. Had a lot of fun with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Ableism
Ableism: In one passage a Deaf character is ignored by people around her and muses on the fact that it's because she is Deaf.tahsintries's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, and Medical content
Minor: Child abuse
shadestate's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Loved the premise and most of the book. The ending felt a bit rushed, but I think that's because she meant to write a third book to finalise those open ended threads. Loved the world building.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Ableism, Death, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Violence, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Confinement
Minor: Emotional abuse
jackolanterns_in_august's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Animal death, and Blood
Minor: Ableism and Suicidal thoughts
helliepad's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Horror novels are so nice. I have decided early on in my reading journey that science fiction was not to my taste but books like this make me question otherwise. What an amazing thriller! I have been scared since the beginning, and capsule stories like this always intrigued me (although the Melusine is, admittedly, a capsule in the sense that the Eiffel tower was considered a nail).
I love that the characters on that ship were human and had conflicting views and opinions and goals. I liked that there were deaf main characters, that there were scientists and bosses with chronic pain, that there were autistic main characters, and savage killers who loved deeply and truly, and that there were shades of horrible people to contrast the shades of horrible monsters. As much as the story is a horror from the start, and you go into reading it knowing people will not survive, the story itself doesn't lose respect for its characters and their goals. They did their jobs, they were eaten, or they were killed, or they survived, for a given definition of the word. They weren't mocked or humiliated by the narrative.
I almost gave it a 4.75 since the ending was so abrupt- the story goes from a jam-packed two days of action to skipping one day, after the rescue, and with vague sense as to what happened to the rest of the characters. I personally like getting closures while reading books, but I figured I could overlook it, as the rest of the book was so delightfully written and executed. Anyway, I can't wait to read more of Seanan McGuire's writing
I love that the characters on that ship were human and had conflicting views and opinions and goals. I liked that there were deaf main characters, that there were scientists and bosses with chronic pain, that there were autistic main characters, and savage killers who loved deeply and truly, and that there were shades of horrible people to contrast the shades of horrible monsters. As much as the story is a horror from the start, and you go into reading it knowing people will not survive, the story itself doesn't lose respect for its characters and their goals. They did their jobs, they were eaten, or they were killed, or they survived, for a given definition of the word. They weren't mocked or humiliated by the narrative.
I almost gave it a 4.75 since the ending was so abrupt- the story goes from a jam-packed two days of action to skipping one day, after the rescue, and with vague sense as to what happened to the rest of the characters. I personally like getting closures while reading books, but I figured I could overlook it, as the rest of the book was so delightfully written and executed. Anyway, I can't wait to read more of Seanan McGuire's writing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Gore
Moderate: Death
Minor: Chronic illness, Biphobia, and Ableism
devynvictoria's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I love all the representation in the book. The last 150-ish pages had me so enthralled I couldn’t put it down. My only critique is that is was really slow to get through at times and took a long time to pick up, I don’t think it needed to be as long as it was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Biphobia