Scan barcode
kaiyakaiyo'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Blood, Sexism, Vomit, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Incest, Excrement, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
colubridae's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Murder and Body horror
Moderate: Excrement, Colonisation, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Incest, Sexual violence, Rape, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia
mmefish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
How could I explain the way time seemed to slip from my fingers, the way I became incrementally more detached, more unable to reach out a hand to take anything I wanted?
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, and Drug use
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Pedophilia, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Eating disorder, War, Incest, and Rape
sorcha's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, and Vomit
Minor: Blood, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Eating disorder, War, Addiction, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
lemaog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
The atmosphere was dark and the amazing prose transported you right to Saigon, the place where most of the story is set. To summarise the plot is impossible to me because even after finishing the last pages I’m still a bit confused about all the crazy shit that went on. I still rate this book quite highly because of it‘s uniqueness and because I overall enjoyed reading it.
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
katewhite77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I don't usually do horror but this is more creepy than horrific and has enough of a realist plot to grab non horror fans. I couldn't stop reading.
Moderate: Gore, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Murder, Death, Body horror, Blood, Racism, and Misogyny
ynotlime's review
4.25
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Pedophilia, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Incest, and Body horror
writingcaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Using family trees and native Vietnamese myths and folklore, the author tells the story of several characters to encompass such a large part of Vietnam’s most recent history (going back more than 50 years), and it all starts with the disappearance of a Vietnamese American young woman with severe mental issues by the time it occurs, some of them are real some are hauntings.
Going back from there we will find the nature of the man she lives with, his brother, and most importantly the girl who was their everything when they were young. A wild girl who hunts snakes, and she’s the connection to a ghost hunter and exorcist, a man the forest chose to save from the war, to a mother without a daughter, to French occupation, to rape and serfdom.
It’s not the easiest read due to its complicated timeline, that keeps shifting, going back and forward with no great logic, but you get used to it after a while and when the dots all start connecting, when you understand that what matters are the different stories and the history, not the timeline or that one story it becomes addictive.
Not knowing Vietnam or its people I believe this is the closest I will ever get, as the book brilliantly woven a tale that encompasses so much of the culture, history, and people, also the present and how it is affected by its folklore and past.
Definitely a read I recommend, especially if you’re looking for a great read for API month.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual harassment, War, Incest, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pedophilia, and Rape
mateoj's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
(and once again we have a book that taps into one of my very specific fears/fascinations: two-headed snakes!)
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Murder, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol
Moderate: Excrement, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Fire/Fire injury