Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Leech by Hiron Ennes

10 reviews

dani_wasia's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

zeus_strider's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

1.0

I'll just say it first and foremost I am unapologetically a Parasite apologist! 

I found the beginning of this book to be utterly delightful and so charming, I love the Institute they were such a captivating character and I adored them as a protagonist, watching a hive mind unknowingly creep further into danger in this uncanny winter tundra was gold it would have been five Stars⭐ if they had remained the protagonist.

Somewhere in the middle of this dreadfully long track are poor Institute is sidelined as the antagonist before they are completely dropped as the POV character all together, while there is some merit to telling your story from antagonist perspective I believe there are much better works that showcase it.

As for the world building I found it to be rather delightful again in the beginning, it was all very odd and sprinkled in gingerly and just a touch of lovecraftian flair but then the book has a crisis of identity to be a to be horror or mystery, with most mysteries you want an answer but when it comes to horror answers can be a fatal. As for this book it chose to answer every question I didn't want answered.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Police brutality

ribbenkast's review

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.75

This book really impressed me with the way it is wirtten, Hiron Ennes really manages to write from the perspective of a super intelegent hivemind and sell it. The world building is amazing and is probably the best part of the book. It's got to be one of the most creative uses of the ghotic genre I've seen so far.

However the books suffers a bit from the gothic pitfall where in the first half it's just vibes and nothing much really happens. The pace really picks up near the ending though! Admittedly I do think the book ends on a bit of a weak note. I think there's space for a sequel I'll gladly pick up if it ever gets published. 

All in all, this was a great debut. I'll be certainly be on the lookout for any books that Hiron Ennes writes in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

ichewonpushpins's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment

Horrible Gothic horror brutality told with a dry, clinical tone. This book was a bizarre and shockingly violent ride.

nsaphra's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

Why isn’t everyone talking about this book?? I’m obsessed, this book is sickening. It’s a gothic horror narrated by a HIVEMIND that controls every doctor in the world. It has all my favorite horror elements:
- body horror
- philosophical “what is the self” horror
- medical paranoia (who’s infected? Every detail feels like foreshadowing)
- unsettling nonhuman perspective

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Pandemic/Epidemic

tragickore's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Kidnapping

readmeup's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide and Vomit

chris_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

4.25

I haven't read anything quite like this in my life. There were so many interesting concepts (some of which surely went over my head) it was so smart. The writing was delightfully disturbing in its depiction of disease, isolation and the harsh environment. The characters were layered and utterly fascinating. Love what it had to say about parasites, capitalism, power and agency. I can't wait to see what else this author writes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Alcohol

Minor: Ableism, Misogyny, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

rorikae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

Leech by Hiron Ennes is a speculative horror novel steeped in body horror and with a perfect atmosphere for the winter months. 
We follow a doctor, a member of the Institute, who is heading up into the mountains. One of their colleagues has died and they are seeking answers for their death as well as taking up a position as the doctor at the baron’s Chateau. But when they arrive, they learn that a creeping force is threatening the town and may have directly contributed to their predecessor's death. 
Ennes’ writing is lush and descriptive. They bring you directly into the setting and story and refuse to let you go until the end. Their writing makes the body horror both fascinating and hard to read, which I think is a true mark of a good author. This is a story about possession, agency, and trauma. Set in a post apocalyptic world that gives hints to the world that preceded it, Ennes drops world building moments casually throughout. Though I don’t think more world building was needed to enjoy the story, Ennes has created such an engaging world that I want a full series that explores what happened and what will happen next. The ending was a bit abrupt and I was hoping for a bit more but it also fits the story so I wasn’t unsatisfied. 
I cannot wait for what Ennes writes next because they have proven in 'Leech' that they are a superb horror writer. If you are looking for horror set during the winter months, you must pick up 'Leech.' 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicide

chessakat's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

4.5

WOW was this weird and creepy and alarming and amazing?! The audiobook narrator was outstanding, truly impressive, with so many accents and characterizations. This took me a long time to get through, and I don’t regret the slow listen. I guarantee this is different than anything else you’ve ever read. If you would like to say “what the f—-?” a lot and be confused often but still be dying to know what is going on, take this weird creepy ride.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail