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hail_freyr'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
3.5
venti's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
illmakeyoulaugh's review
- 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
4.0
I love you.”
May Leitz does it again and this time it’s even better. I can really see how much May has grown in her writing between now and her first novel Fluids. Girl Flesh reads a bit more smoothly for my broken brain, I’m somewhat particular when it comes to writing styles and struggle with taking a long time finishing books because of it. If I wasn’t working so much I definitely would’ve finished this MUCH sooner. I found the characters much more relatable for me and likable. Everything is written so smoothly it’s almost like poetry at times. The violence is explained in a way that I can actually imagine what is going on and doesn’t shy away from the gritty details. So excited to read what May writes next. Huge fan and will continue to support for years and years to come!
eddiford's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
right_kidney's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Without spoilers, my only major complaint is that the main character’s reflective narration sometimes got repetitive, especially in the early to middle section of the book. I would’ve liked to see an exploration into other elements of her mind/past or at least different approaches to what themes were included. It sometimes felt like the author didn't trust the reader to understand the character through what she’d already written, and added a very blunt statement to make sure we understood (and sometimes repeating that statement multiple times).
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Eating disorder, Gore, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Transphobia, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Vomit
Minor: Drug use, Excrement, Addiction, Animal death, and Sexual violence
weirdly_reading'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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, and Torture
Minor: Transphobia
brenna_law'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
3.75
roach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I've rebelled against the grave that was meant for me. I deserve to die in the mud with dignity like everything else. I deserve to die next to the woman I love.
The two main characters are arguably two pieces of Leitz herself and many of their plights and hopes seem to mirror the author's own personality to a degree. The one being a musician and the other an online micro-celebrity writing about horror and/or true crime.
As a content creator herself who has spent hours researching, discussing, and analyzing true crime, gore media, and grimy fiction, May Leitz explores what that might do to a person through the characters in her book. The guilt of participating in making a spectacle of someone else's suffering, as well as how these stories fuel the growing fire to fight injustice. The book also takes on the unique experience of being a secluded person experiencing small-scale fame and all the parasocial relationships that come with it. Subjects like childhood trauma through a problematic household and transphobia are also subjects that pop up. Many of which are probably at least partially inspired by personal experiences and it makes for interesting character building in-between the gruesome violence.
It's also a fresh breeze of air to get a story like this, filled with and inspired by so much despair and suffering, that's spearheaded by two women with a genuinely harmonious relationship, ready to fight. It is satisfying to see them empower each other and demand a better future for themselves while refusing to succumb to victimhood.
This was a very fitting follow-up to Leitz's first book and I'm looking forward to where she's going from here.
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Gore, Death, and Transphobia
Moderate: Drug use
laudateluna's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Girl Flesh is a testament to the horror of true love. Because loving isnt easy. It requires bloody sacrafice.
I can't tell you if it's going to be worth it to you. Girl Flesh is a hard read. One you might find repulsive. I did. I hated reading through many of the chapters. This book stands out from the depths of shit that plague horror fiction. Leitz is an author first, one that happens to be versed in genre fiction. Her second published story went hard. I implore anyone daring to engross themselves into Leitz's outstanding prose. It will leave you haunted for a better, loving world
Graphic: Violence, Death, Body horror, Vomit, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Police brutality, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Murder, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Trafficking, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Medical trauma, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Homophobia, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Deadnaming, Drug use, Body shaming, and Car accident
atranscryptid's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Vomit, Drug use, Lesbophobia, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, and Suicide attempt