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literaryjunarin's reviews
491 reviews
The Landlady by Fyodor Dostoevsky
2.5
Another sick man's fever dream. Why are Dostoevsky's men always ill?
Reception by Kenzie Jennings
dark
tense
slow-paced
3.5
One line: what the fxck?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Since reading Tender is the Flesh, I picked up everything Agustina Bazterrica wrote.
This book is incredible. An all-women convent called The House of the Sacred Sisterhood is a place weaponizing religion to oppress women they "saved" after the society's collapse due to the climate crisis. The violence is gut-wrenching. The Superior Mother's visceral punishments often include whipping, putting spikes inside the mouth, mutilation and the like. She also forces the women to self-mutilate as a form of offering to their God e.g., needles in the nipples.
As always, Bazterrica's prose is raw and sharp, which disturbed me but also since this was written in epistolary style, it also reads like a fever dream. From bleak and dark, to warm and heartfelt, until the thrilling end, it was a wild ride.
This book is incredible. An all-women convent called The House of the Sacred Sisterhood is a place weaponizing religion to oppress women they "saved" after the society's collapse due to the climate crisis. The violence is gut-wrenching. The Superior Mother's visceral punishments often include whipping, putting spikes inside the mouth, mutilation and the like. She also forces the women to self-mutilate as a form of offering to their God e.g., needles in the nipples.
As always, Bazterrica's prose is raw and sharp, which disturbed me but also since this was written in epistolary style, it also reads like a fever dream. From bleak and dark, to warm and heartfelt, until the thrilling end, it was a wild ride.
Of the Flesh by Susan Barker, Adorah Nworah, Irenosen Okojie, Mariana Enríquez, Emilia Hart, Bridget Collins, Lionel Shriver, Robert Lautner, J. K. Chukwu, Michel Faber, Evie Wyld, James Smythe, Lewis Hancox, Lavie Tidhar, Francine Toon, Louisa Young, Ainslie Hogarth, Lucy Rose
dark
medium-paced
3.5
Not sure when it started but sometime last year, I became a horror fan. As long as it's tagged horror, I will read it. However, for this collection, some stories do not even resemble horror. Well, some might be a bit unsettling, but on others, I just literally zoned out.
Out of 18, I liked these six stories.
'Apples' by Emilia Hart - a mother ate an apple which magically gave her the ability to hear and see other people's thoughts. Thrilling.
'Waffle Thomas' by Ainslie Hogarth - a woman fresh from a breakup went camping alone to "heal". Towards the end, I can only say, "what the fxckkkk??"
'The Smiling African Uncle' by Adorah Nworah - racism? Of course, that's scary.
'Carcinisation' by Lucy Rose - love the body horror on this. Vomit-inducing.
'BobAJob' by James Smythe - catfishing turned into something unimaginable. I enjoyed this.
Out of 18, I liked these six stories.
'Apples' by Emilia Hart - a mother ate an apple which magically gave her the ability to hear and see other people's thoughts. Thrilling.
'Waffle Thomas' by Ainslie Hogarth - a woman fresh from a breakup went camping alone to "heal". Towards the end, I can only say, "what the fxckkkk??"
'The Smiling African Uncle' by Adorah Nworah - racism? Of course, that's scary.
'Carcinisation' by Lucy Rose - love the body horror on this. Vomit-inducing.
'BobAJob' by James Smythe - catfishing turned into something unimaginable. I enjoyed this.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
5.0
I don't care about all the bad reviews because this series is my home!
Mr. Prohartchin: Short Story by Fyodor Dostoevsky
3.5
Mr. Prohartchin is an impoverished old man who lives like a beggar. His only possessions are an old mattress without a bedsheet, a teapot he refuses to share with other tenants, and a box with a German lock. Out of pity, his landlady allows him to pay only a fraction of his rent, unlike the other tenants. He lives so frugally that he opts for the cheapest lunch and often skips dinner altogether. His social interactions are miserable, leading to frequent quarrels with the other tenants.
This is a multi-layered short story that explores themes of greed, pride, conceit, social anxiety, and poverty.
This is a multi-layered short story that explores themes of greed, pride, conceit, social anxiety, and poverty.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
3.0
Well, i like dragons so I enjoyed it. Violet is annoying and "Violence" as a nickname is cringe tbh. Her being constantly horny is also tiring to read about. But overall, it was still a good fun? It was constantly tense and action packed. Not amazing but was a breeze to read through.
Fleabag: The Scriptures by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
my holy scripture