A review by elwirax
You've Lost a Lot of Blood by Eric LaRocca

dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

"I’d drown you in dark water if you weren’t so beautiful."

I read Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke last year and didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. Unfortunately, I felt more or less the same about  You've Lost a Lot of Blood

There was nothing really terrifying about it (a part from the way that sex scene was written). The atmosphere and vibes were great though. I liked the story within a story more than that of Martyr and Ambrose, had that been the main plot I would've enjoyed this novella more. 

I love LaRocca's strange concepts and their writing is amazing at its best, but the executions don't really do anything for me. The characters are rarely likeable which isn't the issue rather that I'm not invested in anything that happens to them. In this novella there doesn't seem to be a distinct plot though an an attempt at explaining the disjointed nature is provided at the end. I can't say that by the end I really understood the point ( there's a line about that somewhere in the book but I need there to be a purpose as an incentive to stay invested in a story). 

Overall, I think that LaRocca might not be the author for me which is fine. I'm glad I gave their books a proper go but I'll most likely not read anything else they put out.
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