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madelinequinne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This book had my stomach churning and my eyes filling with tears at the same time, all whilst making me think how awfully the world deals with pandemics and people who don’t fit into our capitalist ideas of how society should run. There were a lot of metaphors for how chronically ill people are treated, how messed up the government is when it comes to global catastrophes, and honestly that may have been the most sickening thing about this book.
I definitely need to read something lighthearted after this to recover
Graphic: Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Body horror, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Cursing, and Gore
Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Bullying, Cancer, Drug use, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Infertility, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Dysphoria, Rape, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
wellreadandhalfdead's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Murder, Sexual content, Gore, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Blood, Cursing, Death, Violence, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Confinement, and Kidnapping
Minor: Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Trafficking
l_will8889'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH! Like at all. Seriously. Check those content warnings and HEED THEM.
Graphic: Blood, Genocide, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Body horror, Cancer, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Excrement, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Colonisation, Car accident, and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Infertility, Kidnapping, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Classism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Drug use, Dementia, Ableism, and Biphobia
emimli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Unfortunately though, the other two sections didn’t stack up. The latter 2/3 of the book are a slog to get through, and the story departs sharply from horror into Jeff Vandermeer-esque sci-fi around the halfway point. While I’d typically be cool with that, it just didn’t mesh with the book’s established narrative and atmosphere.
The social/political commentary in here is also pretty lacklustre - it’s somehow too heavy-handed and too underdeveloped at the same time. All of it is stuffed into lengthy info-dumps that veer far away from the actual storyline and mess with the narrative flow (anyone else confused by Erin’s random anti-IUD rant?). I usually love social commentary in my fiction, but the way that it’s incorporated into this book just comes across as preachy and a bit cringe.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pandemic/Epidemic, Cancer, Cannibalism, Death, Medical content, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Murder, Abortion, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Body horror, Genocide, Suicide, Confinement, Pregnancy, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Vomit, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Gore, and Suicide attempt
tiernanhunter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Gore, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Cancer, Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Gun violence, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Infertility, Dysphoria, Self harm, and Sexual content
laurenbookwitchbitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Body horror, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Vomit
There’s a line between body-horror and just…gratuitous violence and horror for the “thrill” of it. This book crosses that line. Not a fan. Would not recommend .kneec's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Misogyny, Death, Gore, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Child death, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Cannibalism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Racism, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Confinement, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship