Reviews tagging 'Gore'

We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix

71 reviews

teresaelj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-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

4.75

This is a book that is gonna stay with me. I gotta say it may be one of my favorites Hendrix has written. The metaphors to what our consumerism has done to art and imagination is absolutely brilliant. Did they really sell their souls to a devil or the devil the lust for easy money? When we sell our souls - what does it mean? Have we lost the best parts of ourselves for a  meaningless buy out: I’m really gonna be thinking of this one. Add in the commentary on the violence towards women- even in the metal community - and it is even better. The circular writing from the first lines to the last lines had me close to tears. Women are so amazing and I’m shocked Grady isn’t in one. He takes care of his girls and i will miss Kris and Melissa.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Sexism, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

wardenred's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

It is possible to be crazy and paranoid and totally insane and still be right.

The book definitely delivers on all the most interesting elements of the blurb that spiked my interest in the first place. Heavy metal horror! The mythology behind a specific (made-up) niche metal album turning out to be true! An older protagonist confronting the past! All of this are very much present and reasonably well-done, and I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes horror and has ever been, to any extent, a metalhead.

I loved how a bunch of popular conspiracy theories from the 90s were casually woven into the plot and the worldbuilding, and I enjoyed the structure of this novel, with all the flashbacks and radio transcripts thrown in. On the macro level, it’s really well-crafted, with the tension points spread wonderfully over the entire thing. Although on the scene level, I felt it meandered at times, with the narrative getting bogged down in the details and asides. Never to the point that it would frustrate me out of wanting to know what’s next, though.

I was kind of surprised that I found the MC’s younger self from the flashbacks a lot more interesting to follow than the main timeline Kris. Normally, I really like reading about older characters and I’m of a mind that people—real and fictional alike—generally become more complex and exciting as they age. Then again, character work definitely isn’t this book’s strongest point. I wouldn’t call the characters flat precisely, but most cast members embody specific archetypes with a heavy metal bend, and all in all, the focus is very much on the plot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction

mothmania's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

cesto's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

jwells's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

I picked this up on the grounds that I enjoyed Wylding Hall. Maybe I'd like another creepy book about musicians and the supernatural. I was a bit worried this would be too scary... WH isn't really horror. This book definitely gets more intense with the violence and gore. It's also more intense with the love and passion for music, though which I appreciated.

 I'm not completely sure the ending works. I don't like ending a book not understanding exactly how the heroine's actions saved the day.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Vomit

Mild spoiler

There's a very triggering sequence for claustrophobes!!

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

cecurtis89's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Car accident

mfrisk's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

2.5

I kept feeling like this was building towards something more exciting but ultimately it felt anticlimactic. 

Essentially this book is a horrific road trip story and Woodstock 1999 retelling with supernatural elements and despite that sounding interesting it really takes this concept nowhere. It just feels like an exploration of failed dreams and frustrations that don’t add up to anything truly horrific. The only thing horrific in this were men taking advantage of and harming women but that’s mostly glossed over and I can’t quite figure out why this book ended in as boring of a way as it did. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Sexual harassment

tarac92's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Blood

Claustrophobia

amandadelbrocco's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This was my least favorite of his books so far... I didn't think the writing was very strong and I think it relied too much on metal references.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail