rowanguerrin's review against another edition
- 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: Body horror, Death, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Dysphoria, Genocide, Deadnaming, Gun violence, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual assault
inthemoonlight's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: War, Genocide, Vomit, Death, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming, Child death, and Dysphoria
praisethee's review against another edition
- 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: Bullying, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Hate crime, Murder, Outing, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Genocide, Gun violence, Death, Blood, Abandonment, Body horror, Torture, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Body shaming, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Child death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Pandemic/Epidemic, and War
moreadsnrambles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Deadnaming, Gun violence, Genocide, Dysphoria, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, War, Vomit, Violence, Xenophobia, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Blood
3martini'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: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Deadnaming, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Violence, Child death, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Religious bigotry, Vomit, and Transphobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Cursing, Sexual content, Homophobia, and Domestic abuse
scifi_rat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Prose: 3★
Pace: 4★
Concept/Execution: 5★/4.5★
Characters: 3.75★
Worldbuilding: 4★
Ending: 3.5★
Graphic: Body horror, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Violence, Deadnaming, and Vomit
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Murder, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Self harm, Cursing, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Outing, Physical abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Genocide, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Racism
brynalexa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Dysphoria, Genocide, Deadnaming, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Colonisation, Cursing, Confinement, War, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content, Sexism, and Alcohol
woweewhoa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Death, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Child abuse, and Vomit
Moderate: Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Deadnaming, Medical trauma, War, Racism, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
alphabetmafiamember's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Blood, Deadnaming, Death, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Outing, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Homophobia, Grief, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Dysphoria, Death of parent, Cursing, and Confinement
Minor: Drug use, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Gun violence, and Racism
tigger89's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Something that might surprise readers is that the publisher's summary teases a romance that ultimately isn't a major focus. Yeah, Nick's cute and all, but really there's bigger concerns at almost every point in the plot. This definitely isn't your typical YA post-apocalyptic romance, and if that's the primary reason you picked it up you'll probably walk away disappointed.
The author is both trans and autistic, and that really comes out in the plot and character design. Something I picked up on that I thought was clever was the use of masking, with a literal mask being worn(or not) as Benji chose to hide(or not) an aspect of himself. That specific terminology is from the neurodivergent community, but the concept isn't unique and can certainly be applied to gender and sexuality, though usually we refer to it there as "closeting" rather than "masking". But it's fundamentally the same concept, the act of altering your natural behaviors in order to be perceived as "normal".
I would recommend this book to anyone who isn't afraid of blood and cracking bones, loves a good rageful power fantasy, and who finds satisfaction in the idea of reclaiming monsterhood.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Deadnaming, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Blood, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, and Violence