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
alexisgarcia'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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Addiction, Rape, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Incest, Toxic friendship, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Animal death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Stalking, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Vomit
postmortem'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
4.25
Graphic: Incest, Murder, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal death, Child abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Gore, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
lizardteeth'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Incest, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexism, Blood, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Gore, Grief, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Child death, Cursing, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Torture, Violence, Alcoholism, Bullying, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, and Vomit
Minor: Excrement, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
lovelydeadgirl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Child death, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Incest, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
ashlyreadsevrythg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Incest, Body horror, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Gore, Murder, Child death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Blood, Rape, Self harm, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Vomit, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Grief, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts
bxtskr's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Gun violence, Incest, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Stalking, Torture, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
erinamazing's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
Content Warning for this book:
SA, Incest, Cruelty to Animals, Cannibalism, necrophilia, Violence, Murder (the last two are kind of expected, I guess given the book’s description)
I… don’t even know where to begin. The writing was somehow unimaginative and predictable while being about the most grotesque of subjects. None of the major plot points were thoroughly explored or sussed out. I mean, we’re dropped into a bizarre backwoods family of serial killer cannibals and yet we know very little about how this came to be and how all of these people have seemed resigned to participate in it? There’s mention that “Mama” is brutal and we know that her husband, Wade, is complicit and seems afraid of her… but WHY?
We know that Michael was abducted as a child and told his family abandoned him and that the Morrows saved him… but we don’t explore his birth family at all other than to provide shock value when Michael learns about Rebel’s elaborate plan to destroy Michael and everything/everyone he might ever care about as retribution for something Michael did as a child that resulted in the death (unknown to Michael) of the elder sister that Rebel fixated on in a very unhealthy way. And we know almost NOTHING else about this birth family except what we learn from the brief mention of Alice’s family— because that’s right folks, Michael’s love interest is his biological sister. Which Rebel also orchestrated. But also his adoptive sister tried repeatedly to seduce him as well so there’s really just quite a variety of incest in this book.
And how, in a semi-modern time period, did you Morrows get away with never enrolling their kids in school or working outside of the home?
And why do we accept that because “Mama” had a shit childhood she’s a casual serial killer?
I just have… so many questions. I predicted every single twist and yet still feel I have no answers here. I’m honestly just completely disgusted by both the subject matter/plot and the quality of the writing itself. Like, if you’re going to explore taboo subjects and lean into the morally depraved and grotesque then at least do it well.
Graphic: Child abuse, Kidnapping, Death, Bullying, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Rape, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Incest
abbeyhuffine94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Reb was one of the most evil characters I've ever read about. Michael was one of the most infuriating. I understand he was living in horribly abusive circumstances but his cowardice irritated me throughout.
I do think this novel was extremely far fetched. I also think that horror has to have some reaches at times to make for a truly scary story. I guess if everyone was reasonable, horrible things would happen less.
One more observation: this book was way tamer in terms of graphic violence than I anticipated. On a horror scale of, say Haunting of Hill House to American Psycho (non-graphic horror to very graphic horror), it's about a 5-6.
The vibes were very cool though.
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, Violence, Stalking, Child death, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Confinement, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Rape, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gore, Incest, and Sexual violence
mold's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Michael will always be in my heart. Reb will always be around the corner.
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Violence, and Vomit