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zombiezami's review against another edition
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Outing, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Animal death and Panic attacks/disorders
frank_the_they'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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
our_lady_of_perpetual_bad_luck's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Outing, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Deadnaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
noonanjohnc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
erindb'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
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Cancer, Genocide, Gun violence, Infertility, Slavery, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Police brutality
sydneynorman'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Self harm, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Deadnaming
acbrummitt's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
readerofdafuk's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I'm not sure how to feel about this book
Things I like:
1) gore was good. Horror zombie virus that only affects men, good. The gorely disgust details of how the men act and feed very interesting to have
2) I like the world building of how this new society acts and is rebuilding into factions and kingdoms and different roles that works well
3) I like the individual characters. I might now understand them completely, but they have their own wants and desires and are fully people that made me like or dislike them as people
But those are good points, cause then it gets complicated
Things I don't like:
1) I don't understand how the main cast relates to each other. We don't see them interact as a group. Like seeing Fran and Beth together in the beginning, that was good. But then when Robbie appeared it just went so fast with introducing new characters that we don't have time to breath. We don't see the 4 friends (Beth, Fran, Robbie, Indi) actually talk with one another as a group. We don't see them learn about the other people. Like Robbie is brand new to this group you would think there were questions. But that doesn't matter because we move instantly to the second arc and see their individual dilemm s and problems. But they never talk about it together at all. Most i see is 2 characters and thats it. Not a lot of strong ties as a group
2) all the intimate relationships are sexual. I get that sexuality and sex can be a big part of identity, and you can see what the characters thing of their gender and sexuality through sex. Thats a good conversation. But like, every relationship is sexual, has sex, and only shows intamicy through sex. Like no other quiet moments or feelings, just sex. I get this isnt a romance book, but it ties back to the first point of How do they relate to one another, why are they together, do they only see each other for sex?
Also, the author is putting her kinks in there there is a lot of spitting and drooling in these sex scenes
3) there is a lot of pointed commentary in this book and also a lot of references with no purpose. For the references they will say things like "I put away books like new moon with the angst teenage romance." Which doesnt serve anything. They said a thing, and I know the thing, but where does it go with it? For the pointed commentary the narration or flow will stop just to give like a sum up of a person or thing they see or remember. Like there will be a paragraph about the type of white woman that you would see in a small town church. They are good descriptions, but there's a lot of them. And with these little scenes being at most 2 pages it it very noticeable. that have them going o. Their own individual assignments and paths
Case in point the bad guy fascist group is called TERFs. Which yeah they would be but like, not gonna be subtle about it. As villains they are decent since they are like fascist soldiers so they are terrible people but are using this to basically be transphobic and stay in power. Also they showed Teachs poverty at the end of the book when things are going to shit instead of the beginning or middle of the book where it can be used to explain her motivation for past and future actions.
Their hypocrisy is intriguing tho. They are trying to convince boys to take hormones and begin treatment to transition into women so they can be saved from the virus. Even have a person Kilroy be their mascot example for it, the perfect female body vs being a caged zombie monster. But they only like Trans women when it is in their image of being a woman and who they deemed valid and safe. So I really like that.
5) there are also some ideas and plot points that seem to just disappear like I don't know where or how they came up it just is
No idea how Teach knew Beth's dead name. Like how? Why? Also, why the FUCK was Kilroy a sleeper agent this entire time? Damn I want to know his story, how to live he was forced to transition but basically sabatoged the shit out of the terf ship. Again no hint or lead up to it, it just happens
So yeah, it was ok to read. I was intrigued but not interested
Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Blood, Cannibalism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Sexism, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Deadnaming, Slavery, and Suicide
babybasil's review
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Incest
lakecryptid's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The level of violence in this book is a lot, and the constant peril that the trans characters are in, in addition to the persistent self hatred and interpersonal vitriol, is often overwhelming. It was heartbreaking to read about Beth and Fran's fraught relationship, and seeing the former woman express such beautiful compassion and love, and be met with such deep rejection and loneliness, even from her close friend, was crushing, if accurate. It's sad that the level of trans misogyny and transphobia feels so believable and true to the current moment. Fran's character is understandably grating a lot of the time, and at times it feels like she and Beth almost veer into stereotypes, but not quite. The complex internal narratives and contradictions of the characters save them from being one-note, or simple didactic archetypes to illustrate a political point. I appreciated that in the context of Fran,
By far the most difficult sections of the book to read were the passages from the POV of
I recently finished the book, and upon reflecting more on the story, something I noticed was how all violence, including sexual violence, is presented in the book. The characters are always making pragmatic and strategic decisions about how much violence they can endure, at what cost, and when they can afford to fight back. This kind of grim pragmatism in perspective feels jarring and gross to read, and it should. It's the honest reflection of a bunch of people living through nonstop trauma, in which there often is no "safe" choice, and the only ways the characters can exercise control is by trying as hard as they can to pick how and when they can resist, and when they have to dissociate to live and fight another day. I've read criticisms that the violence and sex in the book is often described in a uniformly graphic style, regardless of the context. I can see that as a valid criticism, since it could be seen as not making a distinction, for example, between consensual sex and sexual violence, or violence and sex at all. In my view, that distinction is still there, but the stylistic unity across scenes shows that in the minds of the characters, the horrible violence they have endured never really leaves their minds, or bodies. It haunts them as they run, as they fight, as they hold their loved ones and are re-traumatized by their enemies. It's gruesome and crushing to read, but in my mind, those are some of the most realistic and affecting parts of the story that really make an impact about the type of world the characters are living in, and what types of perspectives they have been forced to abandon through trauma.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail