Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton

10 reviews

spacewahine's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Body horror, Vomit, and Violence

neeveherbs's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny reflective slow-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicide attempt

mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Violence, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Cursing, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

elsa_clare's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

booksforsarah's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I had trouble with this books pacing. At times there was intense actions scenes where I couldn’t put the book down, and then other times there was literally pages of internal monologue that had me nodding off. I think if the pace was a bit more consistent I would have enjoyed the reading experience a lot more. 

I can definitely appreciate the good writing, it probably just isn’t the book for me and that’s okay. 

As an Australian though, I loved it. I loved seeing references to Australian slang and brands and places ect and seeing my home country so explicitly represented 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

avgastright's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful slow-paced

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

4.0

Wowzas. This was one of those undeniably excellent books that I feel will one day be studied in high schools across the globe. It discusses the burden of choices, the cyclical nature of losing, light in dark moments, crime, drugs, morality, and growing up decent despite the world demanding suffering. Brothers Eli and August were perfect. Quirky, desperate, and altogether good. Lyle was tragic. Warm, kind, and stuck in a life he wanted nothing but out of. Slim was unforgettable. Fatherly, wise, and, in spite of his past, good at heart. I especially loved what he had to say about “good” and “bad” people. Something like ‘we’re all good and we’re all bad. It’s only a matter of what we choose to do. And there is always always always a choice.’ And Robert was the perfect case study in Slim’s theory. 

My only complaints:
a) I felt that Eli fell victim to what I call “The Scout Effect,” as in when a young child is far wiser than their years and therefore their “coming of age” is ruined because they’re “coming” from wisdom already. 
b) I felt that the story was so powerful because while for me, at least, being surrounded by an international crime ring is difficult to imagine, it managed to humanize a fantastical situation. However, some elements of the story, particularly the conclusion, edged too far into the fantastical to be believable, which kind of took me out of the story. I’ll leave it at Broz’s story got a little too Batman villain-y for me to fully maintain my suspension of disbelief. 


Overall, I thought this was brilliant, powerful, funny, emotional, and a wonderful first read of the year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Body horror

Moderate: Violence and Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcoholism and Death

ellen_nicholson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Drug use, Blood, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Alcohol, Car accident, Cursing, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Addiction, and Domestic abuse

sharyce's review

adventurous challenging reflective slow-paced

• 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

2.5

Overall this book wasn’t too bad, but there were just a few too many things that I didn’t like to give it a higher rating. The book took way to long for me to get into - I had to force myself to read the first half, many of the characters were unlikeable - especially Caitlyn Spies and her relationship with the protagonist Eli Bell, and although this book was written with a touch of magic realism, the whole ending just felt too unrealistic, causing the book as a whole to feel slightly disjointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Addiction

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Cursing, and Body horror

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Vomit, Gun violence, Excrement, and Blood

sneako's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, and Ableism

lenin_lover_69's review

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, and Violence