Take a photo of a barcode or cover
tacochelle 's review for:
At Dark, I Become Loathsome
by Eric LaRocca
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.
TW for child abuse, sexual violence, murder, claustrophobia, homophobia. This very much feels like a character study of a broken man who manages to both hate himself and have a savior complex at the same time. As much as his need to 'destroy' his image with piercing and body modifications stems from some conservative upbringing, his bringing it up every chapter got old quick, and it'ssuch an outdated view. Ditto for the title drops every other paragraph. The two chapters of short stories about extreme fetishes destroying lives, told through online forums, were interesting, albeit extremely disturbed. One connected to the overall plot better than the other, and they both felt edgy for the sake of shock value, which ironically makes it less edgy by trying too hard. Overall, I didn't enjoy this one as much as LaRocca's other book that I read. I just couldn't care about the main character. He put me off beyond just being morally grey, and I didn't care what he did or how it would turn out for him, it just didn't seem to matter in the end.
TW for child abuse, sexual violence, murder, claustrophobia, homophobia. This very much feels like a character study of a broken man who manages to both hate himself and have a savior complex at the same time. As much as his need to 'destroy' his image with piercing and body modifications stems from some conservative upbringing, his bringing it up every chapter got old quick, and it'ssuch an outdated view. Ditto for the title drops every other paragraph. The two chapters of short stories about extreme fetishes destroying lives, told through online forums, were interesting, albeit extremely disturbed. One connected to the overall plot better than the other, and they both felt edgy for the sake of shock value, which ironically makes it less edgy by trying too hard. Overall, I didn't enjoy this one as much as LaRocca's other book that I read. I just couldn't care about the main character. He put me off beyond just being morally grey, and I didn't care what he did or how it would turn out for him, it just didn't seem to matter in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
Minor: Infidelity