caecilian's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
alex_bautista's review against another edition
1.0
El libro empieza con un prólogo que promete mucho más de lo que es capaz de cumplir. A partir de ahí, las primeras cien páginas uno las pasa pensando que el libro tiene un arranque lento. Tras otras cien, uno se da cuenta de que no es que sea lento, es que no lleva a ninguna parte. No hay ninguna historia más allá del romance de los protagonistas que, a pesar de que he leído criticas por aquí que lo califican de tierno y romántico, lo cierto es que es una romantización de una relación abusiva y de maltratos. A todo aquel que vea romanticismo en como Trevor trata a Zach, le deseo que nunca encuentre el amor verdadero. Con la mejor de mis intenciones.
Resumiendo:
Pros
· Las risas que me he echado comentándolo con algunos amigos del club de lectura. No, en serio. Ya está, eso es todo. Lo único que se puede sacar en positivo de este libro es reírte a su costa y usarlo como ejemplo de todo lo que no se debe hacer como escritor/a.
Contras
· El continuo elogio al maltrato que supone la piedra angular de todo lo demás en este libro.
· Probablemente los diálogos más artificiales y peor escritos que he tenido la desgracia de leer.
· Trama inexistente y una supuesta casa encantada a la que de vez en cuando se le dedican un par de párrafos para que el lector no olvide que está allí.
· Todo lo relacionado con las supuestas habilidades de hacker de Zach, claramente escritas por alguien que considera que un ordenador funciona con magia y duendecillos y reduce a los informáticos a un estereotipo estúpido.
Resumiendo:
Pros
· Las risas que me he echado comentándolo con algunos amigos del club de lectura. No, en serio. Ya está, eso es todo. Lo único que se puede sacar en positivo de este libro es reírte a su costa y usarlo como ejemplo de todo lo que no se debe hacer como escritor/a.
Contras
· El continuo elogio al maltrato que supone la piedra angular de todo lo demás en este libro.
· Probablemente los diálogos más artificiales y peor escritos que he tenido la desgracia de leer.
· Trama inexistente y una supuesta casa encantada a la que de vez en cuando se le dedican un par de párrafos para que el lector no olvide que está allí.
· Todo lo relacionado con las supuestas habilidades de hacker de Zach, claramente escritas por alguien que considera que un ordenador funciona con magia y duendecillos y reduce a los informáticos a un estereotipo estúpido.
adamsfall's review against another edition
3.0
A great little small town story about family, love, identity, and computer hacking. What novel from the 90s wouldn’t be complete without a little computer hacking!
Would have been a 4 ⭐️ but it drug for a bit in the middle and the supernatural elements were overall lackluster.
The prose itself was incredible and the romance was steamy.
Would have been a 4 ⭐️ but it drug for a bit in the middle and the supernatural elements were overall lackluster.
The prose itself was incredible and the romance was steamy.
kt677's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Spoiler
Okay, firstly I have to say, her writing style is fantastic. She writes with such detail, that you feel, smell and see what she is writing about and no detail is tmi. She writes so smooth that you could read for hours, and it feels like nothing. And also the character writing was amazing. I really enjoyed it. (Except for Trevor, he can burn in Birdland fr) This was my second horror/ mystery novel and I gotta say, I had to get into it at first. A lot of it is very Emo, which was not really for me, like the self harm and bloody kisses are a little much for me, like bitch please. Though when they had sex in the house that is haunted by the parents and baby brother of one of them... dear I say, that's pretty iconic. The pacing I really liked. Nothing felt too long, the filler didn't bother me that much, when they ended up getting high and ending up in Birdland, I was kind of disappointed though. The whole time, Trevor named pretty reasonable explanations for why his dad left him alive, so I thought the reveal of the actual reason would be huge and the most interesting twist of the whole book, but it was rather anticlimactic and unsatisfactory, which I think is the point, but still I wished for something else. But the thing that annoys me the most about this book is the couple, actually. At the end, I really hoped Zach would leave Trevor. I don't care how much he has changed, I don't care that he loves Zach, (even though they knew each other for like two days. Some Romeo and Julia shit going on here) Trevor was about to use Zach as a human tracksuit, nothing about this is healthy nor cute and you know it. But I gotta say, the story was really good, the setting was really fitting, I wanted to go for a New Orleans themed mystery novel and someone recommended this book to me, so yay. Really, really good book, I loved the writing, but a lot of things just didn't give me the satisfaction I wanted. Even if it was not supposed to be satisfying, but still. Four and a half stars.trist_2art's review against another edition
4.0
This was dark and unnerving, but quite different. An artist returns to the North Carolina childhood home where his family was murdered. Meanwhile, a New Orleans computer hacker gets tossed into the story and hell rises. This was a very interesting blend of themes and subject matter: southern gothic, some humor/whimsy?, queer romance, punk sub-cultures/ societal underbelly, haunted house, cyber punk, and psychological horror. Its A LOT a lot but it works. The word imagery can be abhorrently grotesque then seamlessly blend into erotic. Lots of dissonance to the least. Brite has a way of painting with words and playing with certain fears that is quite uncanny. It made me think of abject art in literary form. Like most gothic literature, the descriptive writing can either make the scene in your mind’s eye or make a plot point drag on. Some points felt to drag though I felt like everything managed to make itself necessary and come together in the end. I also got adult X Scooby-Doo Zombi Island and Witch’s Ghost vibes at certain points? I can’t explain that without spoiling. Anyway, it was an interesting journey to say the least
chicklitfan202's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
shahrun's review against another edition
2.0
Many years ago I read and loved a different book by this author (Lost Souls?). So I began this with great enthusiasm, which sadly didn't last.
This books starts off by introducing us to the McGee family. Robert McGee is an artist who has lost his ability to draw. He sets up home with his family in a new place. Then mysteriously goes on a drunken rampage, killing his wife, 3 year old son and himself. But he didn't touch his 5 year old son! The book then jumps 20 years and the surviving son Trevor comes back to the scene of the crime to try and find answers. He connects with Zack - a 19 year old computer hacker who is on the run from the law - together they begin something amazing but deadly to try and find his answers. Sounds super exciting right? I felt the book was quite slow for the first third, setting there scene. Things got interesting when Trevor and Zack start living in the house. But it didn't last. Going to Bird land was an interesting idea. However, I found what happened next didn't feel believable to me. I just didn't full connect with this book, it left me disappointed.
This books starts off by introducing us to the McGee family. Robert McGee is an artist who has lost his ability to draw. He sets up home with his family in a new place. Then mysteriously goes on a drunken rampage, killing his wife, 3 year old son and himself. But he didn't touch his 5 year old son! The book then jumps 20 years and the surviving son Trevor comes back to the scene of the crime to try and find answers. He connects with Zack - a 19 year old computer hacker who is on the run from the law - together they begin something amazing but deadly to try and find his answers. Sounds super exciting right? I felt the book was quite slow for the first third, setting there scene. Things got interesting when Trevor and Zack start living in the house. But it didn't last. Going to Bird land was an interesting idea. However, I found what happened next didn't feel believable to me. I just didn't full connect with this book, it left me disappointed.
sjowers's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cafedetinta's review against another edition
2.0
Sin duda Zach ha utilizado sus dotes de hacker para piratear las opiniones de Goodreads. Es imposible que tenga tantas puntuaciones de cinco estrellas esta especie de Crepúsculo (es el ejemplo que me ha venido de novela erotico/festiva de adolescentes) gay con una trama de hackers que al final no interesa a nadie. NADIE puede decir que son personajes adorables porque ambos se vuelven insoportables a partir de la página 100 aproximadamente. Y el final?? Absolutamente decepcionante.
Si se lleva dos estrellas es porque:
1) Lo he leído rápido
2) Los LOLES comentándolo con el grupo del club de lectura. (Alex dixit)
Reseña completa: https://cafedetinta.com/2018/12/10/trazos-de-sangre-de-poppy-z-brite/
Si se lleva dos estrellas es porque:
1) Lo he leído rápido
2) Los LOLES comentándolo con el grupo del club de lectura. (Alex dixit)
Reseña completa: https://cafedetinta.com/2018/12/10/trazos-de-sangre-de-poppy-z-brite/