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daringreader13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
2.5 out of 5 stars
This collection of short stories all follow the same template for set up- old lady complains about something awful in her life, she makes a connection with some body who is less than perfect, she gets annoyed, she kills them, and then gets away with it. The only one I really enjoyed was the one not written in her POV. Honestly, I don’t know if I want to read the other in the collection just to prove this hypothesis or to mark a series as finished. Either way it’s not because it’s good 😂
This collection of short stories all follow the same template for set up- old lady complains about something awful in her life, she makes a connection with some body who is less than perfect, she gets annoyed, she kills them, and then gets away with it. The only one I really enjoyed was the one not written in her POV. Honestly, I don’t know if I want to read the other in the collection just to prove this hypothesis or to mark a series as finished. Either way it’s not because it’s good 😂
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
polarheights's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
erebus53's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Well written and darkly comedic, possibly just not my vibe though.
Tells the story of... well.. title says it all really.
Thematically this is a story of revenge and spite, and leaning hard into the Ageism that paints elderly women as powerless little-old-biddies who don't have all their faculties.
I found the humour hilarious when it was implicit, but a little frustrating when I would get a joke and then it was spelled out explicitly afterwards.
Maybe this woman is like a dowager Dexter. I wouldn't want to cross her!
Tells the story of... well.. title says it all really.
Thematically this is a story of revenge and spite, and leaning hard into the Ageism that paints elderly women as powerless little-old-biddies who don't have all their faculties.
I found the humour hilarious when it was implicit, but a little frustrating when I would get a joke and then it was spelled out explicitly afterwards.
Maybe this woman is like a dowager Dexter. I wouldn't want to cross her!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Body horror
azureumbreon's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This book was not for me. I did not realize going into it what I was getting myself into and that is on me, I acknowledge that.
I thought this book was going to be taking a more A Man Called Ove approach but instead it took a total Dexter approach.
This is an 88 year old serial killer who will kill anyone who wrongs her or thinks is going to wrong her. And I know many people in other reviews have said this was “hilarious” and I’m glad that they enjoyed it but how calculating she was, how she did not have any remorse and how she did it all for selfish reasons (even the abuse situation, she killed the husband so she could go back to having a peaceful Christmas day. She did not do it for the abused wife).
I thought this would be giving Carl from UP, where yes he goes against the people trying to take his home but it is kind of loveable and endearing, his grumpy outer exterior because you discover that inside, he is actually a really nice person. Or in A Man Called Ove, same thing he is rebelling against the system that is taking advantage of his wife’s horrible accident, but he does not go and kill the people that wrong him! And as the book goes on, we see that Ove does have a heart, like Carl.
There was nothing redeemable in Maude. She killed anyone that so much stepped a toe out of line or did her wrong in any way, even stabbing one of the men at the grocery store when he couldn’t get her the ham that she wanted.
I know many people loved this and thought this book was hilarious. It is definitely me, not you. I thought this was going to be a light hearted book but it was just a book about an old woman brutally murdering anyone who wronged her, that was it.She even kills her sister.
Nope, not for me!
I thought this book was going to be taking a more A Man Called Ove approach but instead it took a total Dexter approach.
This is an 88 year old serial killer who will kill anyone who wrongs her or thinks is going to wrong her. And I know many people in other reviews have said this was “hilarious” and I’m glad that they enjoyed it but how calculating she was, how she did not have any remorse and how she did it all for selfish reasons (even the abuse situation, she killed the husband so she could go back to having a peaceful Christmas day. She did not do it for the abused wife).
I thought this would be giving Carl from UP, where yes he goes against the people trying to take his home but it is kind of loveable and endearing, his grumpy outer exterior because you discover that inside, he is actually a really nice person. Or in A Man Called Ove, same thing he is rebelling against the system that is taking advantage of his wife’s horrible accident, but he does not go and kill the people that wrong him! And as the book goes on, we see that Ove does have a heart, like Carl.
There was nothing redeemable in Maude. She killed anyone that so much stepped a toe out of line or did her wrong in any way, even stabbing one of the men at the grocery store when he couldn’t get her the ham that she wanted.
I know many people loved this and thought this book was hilarious. It is definitely me, not you. I thought this was going to be a light hearted book but it was just a book about an old woman brutally murdering anyone who wronged her, that was it.
Nope, not for me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
binreads's review against another edition
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was an okay read, it did make me laugh at some moments. The overall concept of a little old lady just murdering people whenever she feels like it on the surface is funny. Honestly though, it's quite dark. But, it's interesting how it's under 200 pages, it felt super slow to me. I may pick up the sequel.
I wish we would've gotten more insight on what happened to the victims after they were murdered. </spolier>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
ashleybakerwrites's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Homophobia and Sexism