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A review by jaxgirl007
On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
I pick one word to start my review. For 'On the Savage Side', the word I picked is 'gutted'.
Merriam Webster defines 'gutted' as: to destroy the inside of
This book was such a hard read. The list of trigger warnings is long: sexual abuse, rape, drug abuse, animal cruelty...there's more but I'm a bit stunned after finishing this and so I'm sure I'm missing some of them.
Somehow I was compelled to keep going. The writing definitely runs heavy with the purple prose and I normally don't like that but it worked for me this time. It made me feel like I was experiencing the floating haziness that Arc and the others in the story were experiencing because of their drug use. The extra wordiness did tend to drag the story out a bit long than necessary. The first 3/4 of the book, I was mesmerized; the last part was too much for me. But I also felt like I needed some of the purple prose sections to recover from the more reality based happenings...it became an escape for me just like it was for the characters.
I think what also kept me going was hope: I really did want Arc (and the others) to find a way out of the terrible life she was in and I kept reading hoping she would get there....I was pulling for her to make it. I saw the end comingher murder but was still engrossed along the way.
I think it's important to mention that the serial killer/murder aspect of the story is a small part of the plot. While this is inspired by the real-life case of the Chillicothe Six, this is not a story about an investigation into a serial killer. The vast majority of the story is given to Arc, her family and her friends' struggles with addiction and the (100% horrific) impact on their lives.
I have respect for this book and think it is very well-written. I put McDaniel's other book, 'Betty' on my TBR...but not for a while as I will need some time to recover from this one. If you can stomach the subject matter, it is a haunting story that will definitely give a reader a lot to think about.
Merriam Webster defines 'gutted' as: to destroy the inside of
This book was such a hard read. The list of trigger warnings is long: sexual abuse, rape, drug abuse, animal cruelty...there's more but I'm a bit stunned after finishing this and so I'm sure I'm missing some of them.
Somehow I was compelled to keep going. The writing definitely runs heavy with the purple prose and I normally don't like that but it worked for me this time. It made me feel like I was experiencing the floating haziness that Arc and the others in the story were experiencing because of their drug use. The extra wordiness did tend to drag the story out a bit long than necessary. The first 3/4 of the book, I was mesmerized; the last part was too much for me. But I also felt like I needed some of the purple prose sections to recover from the more reality based happenings...it became an escape for me just like it was for the characters.
I think what also kept me going was hope: I really did want Arc (and the others) to find a way out of the terrible life she was in and I kept reading hoping she would get there....I was pulling for her to make it. I saw the end coming
I think it's important to mention that the serial killer/murder aspect of the story is a small part of the plot. While this is inspired by the real-life case of the Chillicothe Six, this is not a story about an investigation into a serial killer. The vast majority of the story is given to Arc, her family and her friends' struggles with addiction and the (100% horrific) impact on their lives.
I have respect for this book and think it is very well-written. I put McDaniel's other book, 'Betty' on my TBR...but not for a while as I will need some time to recover from this one. If you can stomach the subject matter, it is a haunting story that will definitely give a reader a lot to think about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, and Child abuse