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daredeviling 's review for:
The Library at Hellebore
by Cassandra Khaw
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not going to lie, if I had realized that this was the same author who wrote The Dead Take the A Train, I probably would not have added it to my to-read. I think I got through a chapter or two of that book before deciding that it didn't work for me...I didn't even read enough to consider it a DNF. With this book, I was part of the way in before I realized that it was the same author, but since it was a pretty short book, I figured I might as well finish it.
Well, this book also did not work for me.
We get no explanation of why things are the way they are or the types of things that the characters are learning at the school. There is a very bare bones explanation of the world at large, but it barely actually explains anything, and the reader is left to flounder around and figure it out. The characters are all generally unlikable, but not in a way that still makes you want to root for them or even care about them. We don't get any information about most of their motivations, what they are like as people, or anything else beyond the barest surface level hint. I sort of hated everyone and wanted everyone to die in a fire.
I also hated the writing. It was confusing in a way that it didn't have to be if the author hadn't sounded like she had swallowed a thesaurus. The writing was so bloated with ~vibes that it ended up making no actual sense most of the time, and I truly did not really understand what happened towards the climax of the book - but at that point, I just wanted to finish the whole thing. From what I remember, this was my issue with The Dead Take the A Train as well. It ran on vibes, but with very little substance.
Speaking of substance, most of this book was focused on gory death and macabre murder and dismemberment. Look, I'm not generally squicked out by stuff like that, and it didn't upset me here, but it felt like the author just did all of that for the shock value, so it ultimately cheapened all the horror because it was just happening like every other page. This kind of stuff works better as a shock at the right moment to make it hit home, not when it's just happening throughout the book, because after like 50 pages, it was just like "Oh look, someone else is dismembered in a gory and bloody manner and now their guts are on the floor. Cool story." I just didn't give a fuck, which was compounded by the fact that I didn't like or care about the characters who died.
The author also tried to make points about women's autonomy and the way that the world (read: men) take advantage of women's bodies and minds. Unfortunately, it was done in such a heavy handed way that it was just annoying rather than thought-provoking. This author is not good at subtle metaphors...or anything subtle, to be honest.
Anyway, I would not recommend this book unless you want to read about people dying horribly and in great bloody detail, and I need to remember to avoid this author in the future.
Well, this book also did not work for me.
We get no explanation of why things are the way they are or the types of things that the characters are learning at the school. There is a very bare bones explanation of the world at large, but it barely actually explains anything, and the reader is left to flounder around and figure it out. The characters are all generally unlikable, but not in a way that still makes you want to root for them or even care about them. We don't get any information about most of their motivations, what they are like as people, or anything else beyond the barest surface level hint. I sort of hated everyone and wanted everyone to die in a fire.
I also hated the writing. It was confusing in a way that it didn't have to be if the author hadn't sounded like she had swallowed a thesaurus. The writing was so bloated with ~vibes that it ended up making no actual sense most of the time, and I truly did not really understand what happened towards the climax of the book - but at that point, I just wanted to finish the whole thing. From what I remember, this was my issue with The Dead Take the A Train as well. It ran on vibes, but with very little substance.
Speaking of substance, most of this book was focused on gory death and macabre murder and dismemberment. Look, I'm not generally squicked out by stuff like that, and it didn't upset me here, but it felt like the author just did all of that for the shock value, so it ultimately cheapened all the horror because it was just happening like every other page. This kind of stuff works better as a shock at the right moment to make it hit home, not when it's just happening throughout the book, because after like 50 pages, it was just like "Oh look, someone else is dismembered in a gory and bloody manner and now their guts are on the floor. Cool story." I just didn't give a fuck, which was compounded by the fact that I didn't like or care about the characters who died.
The author also tried to make points about women's autonomy and the way that the world (read: men) take advantage of women's bodies and minds. Unfortunately, it was done in such a heavy handed way that it was just annoying rather than thought-provoking. This author is not good at subtle metaphors...or anything subtle, to be honest.
Anyway, I would not recommend this book unless you want to read about people dying horribly and in great bloody detail, and I need to remember to avoid this author in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Cannibalism
Minor: Kidnapping