Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White

145 reviews

1234_rowan_1234's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Transphobia, Blood, Vomit, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Ableism, Genocide, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Classism

eliof's review against another edition

dark tense medium-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

5.0

What a beautiful gorgeous book. Holy shit. Visceral and angry and cathartic and gory and hopeful.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

aspen_suxs's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, and War

Moderate: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Vomit, Death of parent, Outing, and Dysphoria

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

hippievamp's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria

Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism

lisacanteven's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Following a trans teen through his escape from a fundamental Christian cult that as developed after a catastrophic event where most of the world's population was killed, we meet a group of queer teens who have managed to survive in the local LGBTQIA+ teen center. Despite the MC, Benji's, awkwardness they accept him and unknowingly give a safe place for the monster he is becoming. Maybe this monster can help them in their fight against the Angels, the cult members Benji just escaped from. 

Benji is a great character. He has always known he is a boy, but his transness is still new to him. Without his new found family, he might not have ever been able to live truly as Benji. The writing of Benji and his internal thoughts was so good. He is flawed, but he is real. None of his thoughts ever felt manufactured. Sometimes I just wanted to scream at him, but others I just wanted to hold him.

Dystopian settings are my favorite, and this one was one of the best. I wish we could get a prequel. I would be invested in seeing how Judgement Day came about because we got little glimpses into the history, but I would be interested in more. It also felt so real, like of of this is just foreshadowing for our own futures. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

idogrocker's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

littki's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

mogojojo1013's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I absolutely loved this. The body horror was so visceral (definitely make sure you check the content warnings before reading! LOTS of gross in here). All of the grotesque body horror moments that Benji experiences are SO very relatable as someome who is nonbinary and has experienced dysphoria. Really knocked it out of the park, for me. I loved the world building, and I love how flawed Benji is as a character, and he really feels and reads like a teenager. I also loved the tender moments of found family and friendship that help break up the scenes of intense violence and gore, it was a breath of fresh air and was comforting. Highly recommend.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

gaymoonreader's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail

vbzshenanigans's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

 Benji, a trans teenage boy, is manipulated by his mother, boyfriend and the cult of radical Evangelicals Christians that have managed to eradicate most of the population on Earth through a virus known as the 'Flood' and attempt to turn Benji into their 'Seraph', a conduit for spreading the virus further. 
We follow Benji's escape from the cult and his journey of self-discovery as, even among the post-apocalyptic ruins of his city, it's the most freedom he's ever had. 

Learning about love, life and personal freedom through Benji's and the ALC/The Watch's eyes and experiences, is heartbreaking and all too familiar. White's characterisation of the teens attempting to fight for their survival and the depiction of the radical cult, are exceptional in their accuracy.

This was a horror story in a number of expected ways - the gore, the violence - but it's the cruelty that others are willing to show and enact that forms the truly horrific.  You can feel the fury - it's palpable through Benji's voice, actions and ultimately, his hope for a better world. 
I do think this is a cautionary tale - of extremism, of bigotry - but it should also serve as a warning to those who continually attack our vulnerable youth, they will grow claws and they will fight back. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Deadnaming, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Outing, and War