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bonnie3088's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
It has many layers on how interconnected a person's identifiers are to how thwy are treated in the US.
This book offers a great commentary on women, racism, and class issues pertaining to Healthcare.
A lot of the reviews on this book seem harsh, and I am here to stand on the premise that they are either not fully digesting the information or choose to critique with a distorted lens just because they can.
I loved how creepy and detailed the scenes were. Especially how the narrative shifts based on the MC own mental state. The whole book felt like a fever dream which is the point. The constant guessing was balanced by the MC's mother who stood as the grounding force for the whole piece.
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Drug use, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Classism
haileyhardcover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Dementia, Stalking, and Death of parent
Minor: Trafficking and Alcohol
mudlizard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Terminal illness, and Torture
Minor: Cancer
spineofthesaurus's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Slavery, Terminal illness, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Police brutality, Car accident, and Pregnancy
grvhppr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Racism, Torture, and Blood
Minor: Slavery
seullywillikers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is an ambitious story that wonders about the lengths that the poor and oppressed will go through to protect and save their families, while exploring the history of government experimentation on Black and Indigenous people.
It would be hard to recommend this to someone. Not everyone will like it, enjoy it, or understand it. I'm not sure that I understand it, really. People who don't enjoy it still may find it profound. I'm glad that I've read it.
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Confinement, Drug use, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Classism
reggiethebird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Torture, and Medical content
helhas3letters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
My main gripe, however, is that I felt the ending was rushed and left too open-ended. I wanted more concrete answers and explanations as to why half the events in the book occurred. I understand that a lot of modern fiction leaves things up to interpretation for the reader, but in this case it felt less 'up to interpretation' and more 'couldn't be bothered thinking of specific reasons why specific things happened'.
The ending was also unfortunately semi-spoiled for me by a way too on-the-nose and frankly reductive pull quote on the cover of the book. It was from Essence and read:
Graphic: Chronic illness, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation
Minor: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, and Alcohol
lamorna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Drug use, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
mar's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Racism, Torture, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, and Gaslighting