Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

35 reviews

trying_ceratops's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was a fun book! It feels like a good ole detective story with some magic throne in. If you like the Dresden series, you’ll likely enjoy this. Some of the tech is a bit dated and women are objectified fairly often (main reason for docking a star), but they are often portrayed as powerful/smart/best at what they do. I enjoyed the story and was genuinely surprised by the ending, in a good way. Will continue reading the series. 

The narration was done well in the audiobook. The male voice actor handled the many voices well and the female characters didn’t sound falsetto nor overly high pitched

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Classism

shaddowhawke's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Sexism

adaora_ble's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Gore, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No

1.75

The misogyny was the main deterrent and I'm not sure why I pushed through to finish it because it sealed the deal on not wanting to continue the series in the future.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

lucas_mannion's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Really enjoyed this. Dialogue and protagonist's perspective were funny without trying too hard. Interesting plot, didn't take itself too seriously. Struggled to follow some parts and took me a while to get through but that may just be my own attention problems. Main negative is that all of the female characters were sexualised by the protagonist. Could have been a conscious choice to show his immaturity, but was just a bit tasteless in my opinion. Would like to read more of this series but hope that the female characters are more developed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Excrement, Vomit, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

searobin's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

The misogyny, fat-phobia, and horniness was very off-putting. I wanted to DNF this book, but it was for book club so I didn't. 

I think the premise had a lot of potential, and I did enjoy some aspects of the storyline, but it was not executed well. 

I would absolutely love a book (not by this author) from the perspective of Mother Thames, or one her tributaries, though!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

gitanita's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Peter Grant is a young copper in modern-day London who is about to be assigned to a unit. He would like to become a detective, but, although he is really intelligent, he is easily distracted. Because of that he also managed only a C in national exams despite having a great understanding of math, physics, chemistry and knowing all sorts of historical and other facts. 

One night, Peter and his partner Lesley are assigned to guard the perimeter of a gruesome beheading. While waiting for Lesley to get them coffee, Peter meets a ghost that tells him he has information on the murder. Peter, naturally, thinks he's gone crazy, but still he goes back to the same place to confirm that he actually saw a ghost. While there, he meets a strange detective called Nightingale, and soon Peter is transferred from a boring desk job to a Metropolitan police unit specialised in dealing with the supernatural world that lives in the shadows of London and England. Under Nightingale's guidance, Peter will train to become a magician (yes, in this world you are not necessarily born to magic) and try to solve a string of terrible attacks and murders caused by an unknown supernatural force. 

I really liked the world Aaronovitch built. There is mention of known supernatural beings like ghosts and vampires, but there is also something new, England's rivers, those around the "Mother River" Thames (it included) are river gods and goddesses. Thames is divided between Father and Mother Thames, who are by the way, archenemies, and their sons and daughters" who are Thames' tributaries. 

All of the main characters are very likable. Peter is intelligent, quick-thinking, a fast learner, and loyal to his friends. On the other hand, he can't help but think "dirty thoughts" about his partner Lesley and Beverly Brook, one of Mama Thames' daughters. That was the only part of the story that bothered me, because it was really unnecessary as it made me roll my eyes at Peter and think less of him. Other than that, the story was really interesting and fast-paced. This is the first book of a series of nine, with lots of short stories, but prequel to the first and in between the main books. I recommend it for a light, funny read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing and Drug use

Minor: Sexual content

rivikah's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Sexism, Blood, Murder, and Sexual harassment

the_cheerful_necromancer's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Ported over from my now-abandoned Goodreads:
I'm a sucker for an urban fantasy. A British-set urban fantasy chock full of geeky pop culture references, authentic slang, brilliant wit, quotable lines, genuinely tense mystery, an amazingly unique premise, excellently crafted magic system, lovable and complex characters, gloriously hateable villains- how could I possibly refuse? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: Addiction

This book is a murder mystery. Many of those murders are graphically described, and at least one is seen in-progress:

a man murders his wife and infant child.

With regards to body horror, a main plot-point involves a gory magical injury:

the victim's face warps into an unnatural shape, damaging its structure irreversibly.

Note also that the main characters are a black male cop and a female cop, so there is some unpleasantness levelled their way. The narrative doesn't support it, of course.

aseel_reads's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious slow-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

2.0

This had promise, a supernatural force at the London police, investigating crime but man this wasn't great. Super slow and just kind of boring? Maybe better as a physical read but such a proling process for no reason as an audiobook. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Racism, Rape, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism