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A review by odunayo_y
The Dead Take the A Train by Richard Kadrey, Cassandra Khaw
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Damn the horror tag was no joke lmao. This was gorier and more body horror than i was expecting. I loved it though(the edgelord in me will never die it seems).
The prose/writing was great! Unless when it wasn’t. I guess this is just what happens when two authors write a book. There were bits that felt disjointed and i felt didn’t really add anything to the overall story nor where they character building either. Also there was the occasional contradiction in characterisation.
But all those i could forgive, what majorly tanked my enjoyment was the romance…it was written kinda badly these women were 30 yet they were acting all blushy and awkward like teens in a badly written fanfic 💀 and i really couldn’t buy that they were that totally 100% head over heels in love with each other. It would technically be instalove if not for the fact that Sarah and Julie had known each other for years prior to the story. I still ride hard for my sapphics and they were cute together but their romance could’ve been written better.
Now enough whinging! The magic oh the Magic it was glorious! Gross and Erdrich and beautiful. Julie was a fvck up but i felt for her like a drowned stinky rat, kinda gross but a little cute too.
I’m still extremely pissed that Tyler didn’t die by the end what a weasly backstabbing bitch man. Imo he had more plot armour than the actual protagonist 😭. I know he’s obviously being set up as the main villain for the next book but damn hate him so much, especially for what what he did to my queens Annabeth & Clarice 😞
Also loved the Barghest twins, big buff funky eldritch abomination werewolf-thing ladies mwah.
All in all pretty darn good book and highly recommend if you can tolerate the gore(it gets really nasty God damn) and won’t be bothered by jarring writing shifts.
Bonus: No Sexual Assault! The worst in terms of sex stuff is a sleazy albeit consensual off page sexual encounter between two adults.
The prose/writing was great! Unless when it wasn’t. I guess this is just what happens when two authors write a book. There were bits that felt disjointed and i felt didn’t really add anything to the overall story nor where they character building either. Also there was the occasional contradiction in characterisation.
But all those i could forgive, what majorly tanked my enjoyment was the romance…it was written kinda badly these women were 30 yet they were acting all blushy and awkward like teens in a badly written fanfic 💀 and i really couldn’t buy that they were that totally 100% head over heels in love with each other. It would technically be instalove if not for the fact that Sarah and Julie had known each other for years prior to the story. I still ride hard for my sapphics and they were cute together but their romance could’ve been written better.
Now enough whinging! The magic oh the Magic it was glorious! Gross and Erdrich and beautiful. Julie was a fvck up but i felt for her like a drowned stinky rat, kinda gross but a little cute too.
I’m still extremely pissed that Tyler didn’t die by the end what a weasly backstabbing bitch man. Imo he had more plot armour than the actual protagonist 😭. I know he’s obviously being set up as the main villain for the next book but damn hate him so much, especially for what what he did to my queens Annabeth & Clarice 😞
Also loved the Barghest twins, big buff funky eldritch abomination werewolf-thing ladies mwah.
All in all pretty darn good book and highly recommend if you can tolerate the gore(it gets really nasty God damn) and won’t be bothered by jarring writing shifts.
Bonus: No Sexual Assault! The worst in terms of sex stuff is a sleazy albeit consensual off page sexual encounter between two adults.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death, Murder, Vomit, Self harm, Addiction, and Cursing
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Stalking, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Addiction
Minor: Sexual content