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moonlitemuseum's reviews
42 reviews
Beloved by Toni Morrison
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Breathtaking in its kindness and patience and unflinching gaze. A story with many flawed people living however they know how, and a ghost who may not be a ghost, but does it matter? This book will stay with you for a long time after you put it down.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Fanficky, but not in a disparaging way—like a big, sugary cup of wish fulfilment for a lonely gay girl. I liked the supporting cast.
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Phenomenal. Brutal. Precise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Blood, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Deportation, Hate crime, Rape, Toxic relationship, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Self harm, Child death, Grief, Toxic friendship, Violence, Body horror, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The only thing that stops this from being a sure-fire five stars is the strange and unwelcome undercurrent of sexism, not only in the story itself but in that story's world. It feels hollow and untrue, especially considering the aching kindness that Earthsea offers, the determination to flip standards upside down. It is a simple story told well and fast. Reading it, I felt like a child again, only with the adult perspective to approach how skilfully the tale was woven. I can't recommend this enough.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
incestuous father-child rape is alluded to as part of the protagonist's history
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hey man I love Scream too
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Self harm, Animal death, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, and Vomit
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Energetic and addictive, I started this book because a friend was reading it and then devoured it over the course of a day. The author works fast to make you as invested in Abby and Gretchen's friendship as Abby herself is, and as everything begins to unravel the pain feels almost as present as if these were real events that happened to you or people you love. Gritty and firmly anchored in its era, this feels perfect for anyone who wants to slurp up a nostalgic slice of millennial horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Bullying
Moderate: Violence, Torture, Cursing, Classism, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, and Racism
Minor: Child death, Drug use, and Slavery
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Sometimes a book hits at exactly the point in time that you need it. I was hooked on this from the opening paragraph—it has a cinematic, snappy quality that lesser writers try and fail to capture, paired with breakneck pacing and witty, grounded dialog. A friend said that the author specializes in emphasizing human horror despite the supernatural goings-on, and I felt that here. The vampirism aspect was gripping, but it didn't compare to the cold misery of realizing this poor Southern housewife was a relative alien in her own home and life and with very few people at her back.
There are elements of this book I disliked, but they were small enough that they didn't spoil my overall enjoyment. (Some parts that I was dissatisfied with might have even made the book stronger in the end. I'm not sure how satisfyingly the book could wrap up the ambient half-arcs of Patricia's children, and although I thought it unnecessary for the book to linger so long and lewdly on the rape segments I won't deny that they were effectively grim.)
A fast, exciting, and deliciously tawdry read that made me excited to read more. I can't give much higher praise than that!
There are elements of this book I disliked, but they were small enough that they didn't spoil my overall enjoyment. (Some parts that I was dissatisfied with might have even made the book stronger in the end. I'm not sure how satisfyingly the book could wrap up the ambient half-arcs of Patricia's children, and although I thought it unnecessary for the book to linger so long and lewdly on the rape segments I won't deny that they were effectively grim.)
A fast, exciting, and deliciously tawdry read that made me excited to read more. I can't give much higher praise than that!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Dementia, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Racism, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Misogyny, Addiction, and Sexism
Minor: Religious bigotry and Animal death
The Wasp Child by Rhiannon Rasmussen
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.75
Like many my age, I'm trying to get back into the swing of writing. Novellas have been my greatest aid in this endeavor, and The Wasp Child is a perfect little meaty morsel to sink into—the world has a familiar melancholy with plenty of its own eccentricities, and main character Kesh is a treat to experience the journey alongside. Believably childish, brash, and self-pitying in turn, I loved being inside his head...even when his head started to quite literally fall apart.
There's a lot to love here. Readers who have ever been a child without a place in the world will ache alongside Kesh and wish for a happy ending that feels almost impossible. The sentient bugs are a delight, as are the scant few supporting human cast members. The body horror is the great, nasty kind of gooshy (beware if you are as squeamish about fingernails as I am!) and everything wraps up in a satisfying, tidy conclusion that still leaves lots of room to dream about what comes next. Great stuff. Highly recommended.
There's a lot to love here. Readers who have ever been a child without a place in the world will ache alongside Kesh and wish for a happy ending that feels almost impossible. The sentient bugs are a delight, as are the scant few supporting human cast members. The body horror is the great, nasty kind of gooshy (beware if you are as squeamish about fingernails as I am!) and everything wraps up in a satisfying, tidy conclusion that still leaves lots of room to dream about what comes next. Great stuff. Highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Medical trauma, Blood, Confinement, and Bullying
Minor: Abandonment
Fingernail trauma, bugs, hunger, eating bugs
Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Fledgling is unflinching. Sometimes it feels like it might be a mercy to forget the reality within the book, not least its main character's incredibly young-looking body, but Butler never relents. You will see everything. You will learn about the strange, almost human nature of Butler's vampires and accept them. And in spite of yourself, you will enjoy it.
There were some moments I felt uncomfortable and disturbed, but they made the tale all the more satisfying when it reached its end. The characters that form Shori's unlikely pack have strong voices and interesting bonds, and the vampires—the Ina—are fascinating, thoroughly convinced of their own moral purity in a way that feels all too resonant many years on. A great book that would have made a great series.
There were some moments I felt uncomfortable and disturbed, but they made the tale all the more satisfying when it reached its end. The characters that form Shori's unlikely pack have strong voices and interesting bonds, and the vampires—the Ina—are fascinating, thoroughly convinced of their own moral purity in a way that feels all too resonant many years on. A great book that would have made a great series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship
Shori is actually much older than many of the adult men she "couples" with but has a child's body. This is framed as horror, and is very effective!
Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories by Gavin J. Grant, Kelly Link
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This sampling of Steampunk shorts prides itself on avoiding the staples of Victorian England, showcasing locales and times from the battlefields of ancient Rome to modern-day American suburbia. The Kelly Link, Holly Black, Garth Nix, and Cassandra Clare shorts stood out as particular highlights, while others left me cold...but the brevity and tight focus of this anthology mean it's easy enough to dip in and out of the tiny worlds at one's leisure. A good primer, although it did feel overwhelmingly white and straight in its focus: a pity.