ashleysbookthoughts's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Do you love the movie Heathers? If not, you can’t sit with us! (That was not a reference to Heathers, but rather, to Mean Girls, and if you didn’t get that, then we really have problems). Anyway, Heathers is the original dark comedy about high school murder hijinks. It’s wonderful and amazing and could absolutely NOT be made today. And The Basic Eight is like Heathers in book form. Suffice to say, I loved it.
This book takes the best of the dark academia genre and also makes it funny. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, but damn it does! I am forever indebted to my friend Asako for alerting me to this book’s existence and for enthusiastically responding to all of my unhinged DMs. And for waiting (not) so patiently for this review 😘
CW: fat phobia (but presented as the character’s ridiculous thought pattern rather than the author’s POV) and dieting, murder (graphic), sexual assault, rape (on page), homophobia
Graphic: Rape, Fatphobia, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia
k80west's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Sexual assault
hamohero's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, Violence, Rape, Racism, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gore, Fatphobia, Death, Child death, Body shaming, and Blood
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug use
umbellule's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Grief
Minor: Violence, Hate crime, and Homophobia
a gay person’s house is burned down in a hate crime, but the person (and their pets) escape all physical harm. there is one intensely gory scene, and then some references to it that mainly focus on teeth and sounds. there is a rape scene involving a teacher.
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