the_coycaterpillar_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
To say I have a soft spot for horror stories that push against the boundaries of what is deemed acceptable in modern literature is an understatement. For this reason, I have been getting into extreme horror lately in a big way. It’s the kind of story that ends up like a sticky spiderweb – you turn and get trapped further, the spider a never-ending threat that pushes further on the edge of your peripheral vision. It stalks you slowly, ramping up the fear and the anticipation. That is exactly how I see extreme horror.
Brother is one such book that evoked all the emotions from me. As soon as I finished the book, I had considered throwing it across the room due to how it was left. I felt angry, shocked, annoyed, I felt it all. I will always rate a book 5 stars that is able to exude that kind of emotion from me as a reader. I felt destroyed. I was walking around the house aimlessly, not knowing what to do next. I knew I couldn’t have started another book, but I didn’t know what to do either. I read this as a buddy read with anna_reads_horror on tik Tok and I could barely wait for her to finish so we could talk about it. I felt unhinged!
So, Brother…out in the West Virginia sticks live the Morrow family. They are a family with secrets. Bloody ones. Micheal wants to break free of their bloody secrets. He isn’t like the rest. Maybe because he isn’t. The Morrow family took Micheal as a three-year-old boy and brought him up like their own. They taught him to hunt and prepare a carcass for butchering. The things that that prepared him for doing was diabolical.
One thing this book does incredibly well is the examination of Nurture vs. nature. Is a killer made or born? In Brother’s case it is certainly nurtured into one. Micheal was only a baby when he was taken from his family. He is surrounded by bloodlust predominately from his mother and his brother Reb.
Now, Reb is a different beast entirely. He is sadistic, calculated and hates his adoptive brother Micheal. He does things to Micheal that only a psychopath would be capable of. Adding someone of my comments during the buddy read to show just how this made me feel at different points –
‘Momma liked her girls young’ urgh, I’ve a really bad feeling 13%
‘Why do you think your family left you outside. They don’t want you no more’ 14%
‘OMG just imagine if that firework had gone off in his hands. 30%
‘He yearned to touch her, but the idea of doing it while she was breathing scared him.’ URGH 43%
‘a party aint a party without a splash of red’ OH NO 77%
Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Animal death, Blood, and Death
killmoore_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I went into Brother thinking that I had the big twist spoiled for me, and woo was I wrong. The characters are so well written that it made me physically uncomfortable at times - and the duel point of view is both disturbing and truly heart breaking. We have the birth of a serial killer on one side, explaining the world through his trauma and perception, then we have Michael and his battle against his own morality and the bonds of blood. Phenomenal writing, and an absolutely devastating story. I'm honestly glad that it didn't end with a pretty bow - it couldn't have ended in a better way.
While this is gruesome and pretty bloody at points, I would not consider it over the top or anywhere near splatterpunk territory. Check your trigger warnings and you should be fine. This is mainly a story of love and loss, and what it means to be family - kind of.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death of parent, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
bethreadsnwrites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Cannibalism, Incest, Child death, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Sexual assault
shysheepys's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Spoiler
I feel so bad for Michael!! And Alice too!! I wanted nothing but the best for the two poor kids.Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Cannibalism, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body horror, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Incest, and Rape
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Abandonment
cathuluu's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Cannibalism, Violence, Blood, Incest, Rape, Torture, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Body horror, Gore, Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Animal death
Moderate: Vomit and Pedophilia
stardustvein's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Blood, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cursing, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Addiction, Incest, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Stalking, Rape, and Sexual violence
vitalfeels's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Incest, and Sexual assault
markc64's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Vomit, Incest, Grief, Rape, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Violence, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Torture, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Murder, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Cursing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death of parent, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Gore, Mental illness, Death, Chronic illness, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, and Kidnapping
clareokd's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Violence, Animal death, and Domestic abuse
caseyf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence