frankieclc's review
5.0
This book is absolutely not for everyone, it's grotesque and made me feel physically unwell at several points but I literally couldn't put it down? and I'd absolutely read it again? wild
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, and Vomit
readwithchar's review
dark
mysterious
medium-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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Vomit, Violence, Alcohol, Abortion, Suicide, Death, Drug use, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
your_true_shelf's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Body horror, Blood, and Gore
bookbinbaby's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Took a while to get into the 'horror' aspect, but by about the middle it all starts to warp, a very dysfunctional group of people that seem to have a particular loyalty to each other and the cinema which almost seems to be characterised as its own partially living character as much a part of them as they are it....everything catalyses and from there it all begins to unravel for these lost souls in hideously tragic ways. Some of what they got up to was beyond belief at some points, and 'The Paradise' seemed a lost world forgotten to all but those who walked through its doors. Still not quite sure what I have read or what to take away from it, what was the point? If you want lighthearted this is the opposite!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abortion, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Vomit, Addiction, Blood, and Sexual content
Minor: Excrement
noahee's review
dark
mysterious
fast-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
3.0
the narrator is written with a detached feeling, it seems like she is nonchalant about the things that happen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Vomit, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, and Excrement
Moderate: Drug use and Sexual content
veliana's review
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abortion, Alcohol, Sexual content, Vomit, Suicide, Drug use, Blood, Grief, and Excrement
Moderate: Pregnancy, Chronic illness, and Dementia
Minor: Infidelity
carcinokattastic's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Drug use, Sexual content, and Death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abortion, Alcohol, and Vomit
kylegibbens's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Suicide, Death, Drug use, Vomit, Blood, Alcohol, and Abortion
tegancalnan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Abortion, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Vomit, and Excrement
snazzyrhombus's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? No
4.0
i was recommended this by my gf because she said it was amazing - at first and even half way through i wasn't super convinced of the hype, the first half is very slow paced and the whole book you essentially live alongside the main character while she works at this cinema, meeting and getting to know the people there. at first i thought nothing super noteable was going to happen throughout the entire book, it was just a slice of life style thing, but then some big events start happening around halfway and the story takes such a dark and gorey turn. from gross customers to gruesome events this book has quite a lot of disgusting elements honestly which was quite interesting.
there are a lot of random horrifying events that are never explained though, kind of frustrating but a cool touch
the last handful of chapters go so so fast especially in comparison to the rest of the book but i think it works well and really makes the run up to the finale quite gripping.
i loved the writing style, despite a lot of gross and gorey details so much of it is phrased so beautifully
something i found kind of weird that may not be intentional is that the main character (and therefore me as the reader) felt so lonely, even when she always seemed to be talking about herself in the present and other people in the past which made her seem super disconnected.
idk if the author was trying to make a point about SOCIETY or just trying to write a whacky book but i do feel like it paints a horrifying picture of the capitalisation of small businesses and how it affects people within the business which is interesting but also extremely sad
there are a lot of random horrifying events that are never explained though, kind of frustrating but a cool touch
Spoiler
e.g. the other screen room with the dead naked man in it like what the hell was goinf on therethe last handful of chapters go so so fast especially in comparison to the rest of the book but i think it works well
Spoiler
considering it's representative of the job they all cared for completely transforming into something awful after iris diedi loved the writing style, despite a lot of gross and gorey details so much of it is phrased so beautifully
Spoiler
especially near the end where she imagines cutting down the chandelier and compares it to a big release of tearssomething i found kind of weird that may not be intentional is that the main character (and therefore me as the reader) felt so lonely, even when
Spoiler
she made friends with and hung out with the other staff lots, and was sleeping with paolo a lot, you're always so in her head that she feels quite dissociated and isolatedidk if the author was trying to make a point about SOCIETY or just trying to write a whacky book but i do feel like it paints a horrifying picture of the capitalisation of small businesses and how it affects people within the business which is interesting but also extremely sad
Spoiler
i didn't expect the ending to be quite so sad either, kind of leaves you feeling a bit depressed when you finish it honestly, depressed and shocked lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Vomit, Murder, and Suicide