Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum

15 reviews

maddamreads's review

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

This book was just not for me. It goes pretty fast and the premise is interesting. There are a few paragraphs that describe themes and event in beautiful and engaging ways. I would have liked to explore the relationship between the two characters more before the ending. That would have made it more impactful.

The split of Laurie being caretaker and wife is poignant-I wanted to hear more of that. What her role was in the marriage. Edward is generally unlikeable, but I think that is so the hybrid at the end is debatably happy or sad. The end flower feels thrown in as well instead of a big reveal. It is hard to picture what the body horror and flower creature looked like.

Basically, my end reaction was “what did I just read? Did I miss something?” Interesting but underwhelming for me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Medical content, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness

swinevenus's review

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Medical content, and Body horror

aaronreadsatad's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infidelity and Grief

bashsbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.25

Helpmeet is a curious little horror novella. It is short and nasty, but the twist is compelling and the ending is absolutely fascinating - what an interesting exploration of domestic affairs, marriage, and loyalty. The start is a little slow, and the writing style isn't my favorite at times. Ultimately still glad that I read it, though. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Gore, Medical content, Body horror, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Classism and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Misogyny

killmoore_'s review

challenging dark slow-paced

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

4.0

Oh this was beautiful. Disgusting? Yes, but so beautiful. 

A horrific dive into "in sickness and in health", and a gutwrenching depiction of the lengths a woman will go to to care for her husband. 

The flow of this was perfect, and I was absolutely thrilled with the creature reveal. It is grotesque in all the right ways. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

sincere_mammoth's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Body horror, Classism, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Medical trauma, and Infidelity

Moderate: Alcoholism

vixenreader's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A dense slow burn into one of the most grotesque romances to exist in a novella, the twist rewards the reader with a beautifully strange read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Body horror, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Drug use and Drug abuse

Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Be aware of body horror involving two people merging together, and with body parts falling off.

vellumveela's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

For readers who enjoy: atmospheric writing, gorgeously executed body horror

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

Minor: Alcoholism, Classism, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

cursivewolf's review

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Medical content

anoldharmonica's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Usually novellas leave me feeling like the author stretched out a short story idea for 50 pages too long OR like the author got bored halfway through writing a full-length novel and decided to just wrap it up early. But here is the rare novella that is exactly the right length. Long enough to give you all the gory details without overstaying its welcome. This book packs more weird body horror into 75 pages than other 500+ pg novels I’ve read. Five stars.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Medical content, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Alcohol