aiden_e_messer's review
5.0
This book sat on my shelf for months because I couldn't remember what it was about, and the cover didn't particularly appeal to me, so I was like, meh. I finally decided to read the summary and realised that I had indeed bought it for a good reason, and that it was going to be intense. Well, that was an understatement. This book is fucking brutal.
I'm really not a fan of violence against children or alone animals, and I hadn't seen that these were proeminent themes until I opened the book. After a few pages, I was absolutely terrified of the direction it was going to take. I tried to convince myself that it wouldn't go *that* far. Well, I was fucking wrong! The exact thing I thought couldn't happen obviously happend! But I think what made me most uncomfortable was the lack of reliability and validity of the scientific experiments.
This book also has fascinating characters (disgusting, but fascinating nonetheless), and an actual, engaging plot that makes you want to know more! I couldn't put it down!
I'm really not a fan of violence against children or alone animals, and I hadn't seen that these were proeminent themes until I opened the book. After a few pages, I was absolutely terrified of the direction it was going to take. I tried to convince myself that it wouldn't go *that* far. Well, I was fucking wrong! The exact thing I thought couldn't happen obviously happend! But I think what made me most uncomfortable was the lack of reliability and validity of the scientific experiments.
This book also has fascinating characters (disgusting, but fascinating nonetheless), and an actual, engaging plot that makes you want to know more! I couldn't put it down!
beequeue's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Whew… heed those trigger warnings, folks!
This book was gross. It was really hard to read at times. The characters are despicable. I really wanted to see their demise. And I mean all of this in a good way.
The book does require you to suspend your disbelief quite a bit: how did they not get caught, how did they find each other? But if you can move past this, you’ll “enjoy” this book.
Two doctors, Benway and Sax, and benway’s wife are evil, evil people. They abuse their power at work and at home. Just when you think you’ve seen them at their worst, you’re proven so, so wrong.
I couldn’t put this down, I was horrified to discover what was coming next. I’d recommend this book only if you have a strong stomach for abuse.
This book was gross. It was really hard to read at times. The characters are despicable. I really wanted to see their demise. And I mean all of this in a good way.
The book does require you to suspend your disbelief quite a bit: how did they not get caught, how did they find each other? But if you can move past this, you’ll “enjoy” this book.
Two doctors, Benway and Sax, and benway’s wife are evil, evil people. They abuse their power at work and at home. Just when you think you’ve seen them at their worst, you’re proven so, so wrong.
I couldn’t put this down, I was horrified to discover what was coming next. I’d recommend this book only if you have a strong stomach for abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, Animal cruelty, and Kidnapping
indiebookaddict's review
5.0
Benway and Sax met up in medical school. It didn’t take them long to bond over their odd obsessions. Through the years they stayed good friends and continued with their crazy experiments. They have a close call and decide to take a break until the urge strikes again.
Born Sick is such a dark and depraved read. Benway, Sax, and Joan are the worst kind of people. Lebold did an excellent job with their characters capturing every bit of darkness in their black souls.
The storyline is gripping from start to finish. As disturbing as this book was, I needed to know what was coming next. There is plenty of suspense and twists inside these pages. I don’t want to reveal too much because this book is an experience! Just read it and you’ll know. There is disturbing content, so it won’t be for everyone, but for me this is going in my top reads for this year.
"Nothing ever happened to me that caused it. I don't know, I guess I was just born sick."
Born Sick is such a dark and depraved read. Benway, Sax, and Joan are the worst kind of people. Lebold did an excellent job with their characters capturing every bit of darkness in their black souls.
The storyline is gripping from start to finish. As disturbing as this book was, I needed to know what was coming next. There is plenty of suspense and twists inside these pages. I don’t want to reveal too much because this book is an experience! Just read it and you’ll know. There is disturbing content, so it won’t be for everyone, but for me this is going in my top reads for this year.
"Nothing ever happened to me that caused it. I don't know, I guess I was just born sick."
thebookishabyss's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Jason, Charles, and Joan are a sick bunch. Charles and Joan are married while Jason is Charles’ best friend from college. Charles and Jason are both doctors at the same hospital where Joan was once a nurse. Now, she stays home to care for the babies her husband brings her. He works in pediatrics and has easy access. Both doctors engage in nefarious acts in their positions in the hospital. Jason has a nasty fetish for the warm innards of his victims. Charles is obsessed with his “experiments”, particularly seeing if someone can survive with two hearts. They have the perfect jobs to get what they need, and the children Charles has procured for Joan’s deep need to have babies, (not children, just babies) prove great for other experiments he comes up with. Between the three of them, a lot of damage has been done to living things.
This would typically be a story I would save for WTF Friday, but it is a brand new release and I wanted to be sure this review got out there! The book is very quick and full of disturbing scenes. There is violence toward animals and children. If these are triggers for you, do not read this. Additionally, there are very real depictions of drug use and a scene that was reminiscent of the book/movie Trainspotting. It was a well-written book that literally had me mouthing “WTF” every other page.
This would typically be a story I would save for WTF Friday, but it is a brand new release and I wanted to be sure this review got out there! The book is very quick and full of disturbing scenes. There is violence toward animals and children. If these are triggers for you, do not read this. Additionally, there are very real depictions of drug use and a scene that was reminiscent of the book/movie Trainspotting. It was a well-written book that literally had me mouthing “WTF” every other page.
karlakayjenniges's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Charles and Jason meet when they become roommates at college. They are both there to earn their degrees as MD’s. As time passes, they learn more about each other and realize they are alike in many ways. They both have dark desires and grotesque obsessions and as they share their past with each other their friendship bond becomes even stronger. They accept each other for who/what they are…."I guess when I think about it, the only logical conclusion is that we were both born sick, my friend."
Following two timelines we are taken into the dark depths of the lives of Charles and Joan Benway and Jason Sax.
Holy wow these characters are as dark as they can get. They all have different obsessions that are utterly disturbing and unnatural. Their friendship bond is strong, and no matter the situation they help each other fulfill their dark desires.
From the synopsis I had an idea of what “Born Sick” would mean pertaining to the story. Being familiar with the minds of serial killers we know they are disturbed. These characters are not serial killers but have very similar qualities and the fact that they are helping each other is even worse. The things they do are sick, sick, sick!
I was so engaged in this story, I stayed awake all night reading it, one of those that had to be finished to see what was going to happen in the end and it definitely had an ending I was not expecting.
Horrifying, absolutely horrifying, focusing on the disturbed minds of humans and their ability to be ugly and cruel.
Fans who love grotesque and disturbing, you are going to love this one!
From the author:
This book includes scenes of child and animal abuse. Read at your own risk.
More...