Reviews with content warning for Gore - Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke

Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca

405 reviews

mallory_minerva's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Well that was gross

I know this book is disliked, and I find the criticisms understandable. I do not dispute the realism issues; people don't really email like that. The texting to me seemed fine on the local level however. The progression of the relationship, as well as the relationship with the Tapeworm, seemed most unrealistic, but in some ways the psychological nuance of it was very interesting. I have mixed feelings on that front. I also am unsure about the claim of the author fetishizing lesbians. I didn't pick up on it much myself but I can see why others do.

I honestly found it mostly fun. I read it in one sitting which is rare for me. The characters are good and distinct, and the scenes conveyed through texts and emails are really vivid. I also liked Agnes's tendency to tell anecdotes; a lot of the literary merit is in those moments and I actually do buy that someone would just infodump anecdotes to make a point. I think the online take on an epistolary novel was well done all things considered; this is an epistolary novel and it will read like letters, not emails, and that's fine.

The horror is... The body horror is better than the psychological horror. I did not enjoy the BDSM aspects, and the animal cruelty really felt out of place for both characters and plot-necessitated. The Findom was underexplored but maybe that's a good thing. Zoe places enough emphasis on consent and caution that I didn't really perceive much manipulation. I didn't pick up on it until she self-discloses out of guilt and concern. There's moments where I feel things are getting worse and Agnes is blundering into a bad situation though, which is good psychological horror. The body horror is well-done.

I wanted to read trash after Foucault broke me, and I certainly got it. I get the low average but this book came to me at the right time I guess.

PS: this is the most content warnings I've ever added for a review. I guess I don't do horror much.

Content Warnings

shelbymarie314's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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gabrielleclarke05's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

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

1.0

Feeling very sad so needed to read this pile of dog shit to feel something other than despair

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viciousfrockery's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

this collection unsettled me in a way that's stuck with me as i eat apples, as i pick the florets of vegetables from my teeth, and as i slip into the bath. queer not as in romantic, but queer as in obsessed with the self and devoted to the other, queer from the inside out. truly excellent dip into what LaRocca can accomplish in short order.

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