Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica

19 reviews

2busyreading's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

2.5

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brianareads's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

4.0

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forgedopulence's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Reviews for each story are as short as I can keep them. I Also had a bit of trouble finding trigger/content warnings for the stories, so I documented some to hopefully make the search a little easier for someone else.

A Light, Swift, and Monstrous Sound - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Suicide, Body Horror
This was a banger, literally.

Roberto - ⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Pedophilia
I'm so uncomfy, but I still don't get it?

Unamuno's Boxes - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW/CW: Serial Killer
This felt rushed. I really would have liked more context. The last line really hit, though.

Candy Pink - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW/CW: Psychological Break, Suicide
This was literally the most disturbing story in the entire anthology. Oh my god.

Anita and Happiness - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Hint of Murder Fantasy
Solid. I enjoyed it.

Dishwasher - ⭐️
TW/CW: Mental Illness
What was the point?

Earth - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW/CW: Pedophilia, Murder, Toxic Family, Child Abandonment
This really hit me in the feels, but the conclusion is a bit unrealistic. 

Perfect Symmetry - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Murder
Again, this needs more context.

The Wolf's Breath - ⭐️
No major TW/CW.
This read like a draft.

Teicher vs. Nietzsche - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Fantasy of Animal Cruelty/Death (cat)
JUSTICE. I hope the cat eats him.

The Dead - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Parental Death, Grief from Child's Perspective 
Wonderfully written.

Elena-Marie Sandoz - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW/CW: Stalking/Obsession, Suicide, Psychological Break
This story was set up pretty much perfectly, but it just wasn't intriguing enough for me. Women can't just exist. I know this. I don't need the reminder.

The Slowness of Pleasure - ⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Yearning for Death
Death is a pleasurable experience, I guess?

No Tears - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Funeral Voyeurism
A slow dance between the happiness and sadness that is inevitable within grief. Beautiful.

The Continuous Equality of the Circumference - ⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Mutilation
Striving for perfection will kill you, and you know it, but you do it anyway.

A Hole Hides a House - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Child Death
Absolutely tragic, being that close to freedom. At least he's dead though.

Hell - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Animal Cruelty/Death (birds)
The first glimpse of freedom not taken is the first glimpse of hell. The impact would have been better with a human subject, but I still very much enjoyed the premise.

Architecture - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Religious Horror
I feel the same about the church I was raised in. 

Mary Carminum - ⭐️
TW/CW: Religious/Cult Horror
This just felt thrown together. I have no idea how decisions were made, what anyone was doing, or what I was supposed to take from this story.

The Solitary Ones - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Mention of Animal Death (dog)
Routine creepy ghost story.

Overall Average: 3.35⭐️ but I'm happy enough to bump it to 4⭐️
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trisjt's review against another edition

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dark reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

I absolutely hated this
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femmeprints's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

I loved this short story book. Adiobooking this type of book can be hard because everything is just so fast paced but I really liked it. Most of the stories were deeply dark, mysterious, grotesque, obscure, and horror based. Really good for those who are into those types of stories. 
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priscillarobock's review against another edition

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

3.25

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magsnificent's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A

5.0

My first five star of 2024. 

Where to begin on this book? It was so impactful, and my first thought was that I was so glad I bought it instead of borrowing it from the library. 
This book was listed as horror, and while it does deal with some horror-like themes, I find it more psychological and just dark themed than anything. 

What stuck out to me the most about this book were the themes of loss. I found myself clutching this book to my chest after every story and absorbing it. 

Please don't go in to this book expecting something scary. If you like dark and psychological, stories that make you think, then definitely DEFINITELY go for this one. I will be re reading. 
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savshelfinger's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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

2.5

lacks a certain imagination. all the gore with only some of the grit. 

Would be DNF but I think I spite-finished it to vindicate my belief that TITF was overhyped
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snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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booksnbrooches's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced
  • Loveable characters? No

1.0

Based on for my personal enjoyment and rating of these stories, I hated it. 

This book is filled with incomplete stories and trauma porn (specifically of women and children ). I guess if you want a really bad time, go ahead and read it.
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