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A review by anjnryn
Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I liked the idea of character and thought she had potential to be a unique protagonist. The writing is what mostly turned me off though. This book also leans into the romance aspect which I wasn’t expecting and didn’t like for a “horror” novel. The erotica was not my taste (in that I don’t really like reading horror/torture erotica). The initial shock of a few erotic scenes like this in the beginning of the book felt gimmicky to me and took away from the actual horror when it picked up.
This author is credited as being a new entrance to feminist horror lit, but I didn’t find any feminist angles in this book other than the main character was a female psychopath. Another review I read noted the incredible amount of groping by this character which I have to say was notable. The character also tries to liken herself to Elsa and keeps trying to emphasize how different Elsa is from other princesses and it got tiring and reeked of insecurity from the author and character. Other feminist angles were also pushed, such as being dominant sexually, taking back control, and channeling her grandmother, but they were lost for me in the writing and honestly erratic storytelling.
Ultimately, while this was a hugely character-driven story, there was no big growth or revelation in my opinion and the change in the characters persona was predictable and frankly underwhelming. Paired with the fact that the character was written to be an insufferable narcissist, the lack of redeeming qualities made it more difficult for me to enjoy reading about her. In fact, the secondary characters were much more interesting to think about but the book was about this one person. There is also a heavy leaning on the grandmother but it doesn’t really add anything much to the story overall, other than maybe her grandmother was like her (or rather, she is like her grandmother).
Despite all this, the book is quite a fast read. The second half seemed really rushed and the first half I guess was meant to be some psychological thing but it really fell flat. The second half of the book, where the horror aspects pick up, is easy to get through which is really what got me through to the end.
This author is credited as being a new entrance to feminist horror lit, but I didn’t find any feminist angles in this book other than the main character was a female psychopath. Another review I read noted the incredible amount of groping by this character which I have to say was notable. The character also tries to liken herself to Elsa and keeps trying to emphasize how different Elsa is from other princesses and it got tiring and reeked of insecurity from the author and character. Other feminist angles were also pushed, such as being dominant sexually, taking back control, and channeling her grandmother, but they were lost for me in the writing and honestly erratic storytelling.
Ultimately, while this was a hugely character-driven story, there was no big growth or revelation in my opinion and the change in the characters persona was predictable and frankly underwhelming. Paired with the fact that the character was written to be an insufferable narcissist, the lack of redeeming qualities made it more difficult for me to enjoy reading about her. In fact, the secondary characters were much more interesting to think about but the book was about this one person. There is also a heavy leaning on the grandmother but it doesn’t really add anything much to the story overall, other than maybe her grandmother was like her (or rather, she is like her grandmother).
Despite all this, the book is quite a fast read. The second half seemed really rushed and the first half I guess was meant to be some psychological thing but it really fell flat. The second half of the book, where the horror aspects pick up, is easy to get through which is really what got me through to the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use and Excrement