kdwhite's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Blood, Child death, Death, Child abuse, Gore, Violence, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Terminal illness, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Suicide attempt
ouijabroad's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I knew going in that the characters weren’t likable and I’m fine with that. The thing is I didn’t care about them, the story they were telling or what happened to them. The beginning was sad and I had empathy for Mario’s financial struggles and how healthcare is a sick joke, but that’s about all I felt the entire book.
The messed up and sometimes (weirdly and randomly) even supernatural things that happened had no explanation and the violence was purely there to shock the reader.
The author cannot write women, he is as bad as Stephen king. Any woman is just there to further plot and they're either reduced to their looks and bodies or viewed as a mother figure (or both like Stephanie!). Also really loves telling us about fat folks because that totally adds to the story. And all the fat folks were objectively bad people.
I didn’t dig his writing style; This author really likes to use similes at a distracting rate.
Now, the “action” during the climax: it was such a dud. All this lead up and exposition with so many unexplained happenings, violence and then it’s just over. I can’t believe I spent so long trying to get through this one. I wish I had put this in the DNF pile.
Graphic: Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Addiction, Cancer, Cannibalism, Classism, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
jillaay_h's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Drug abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts
sarinac_reads's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Hate crime, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and War
nithya_natalya's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
One note: there is a good amount of Spanish mixed into the novel, although it is mostly written in English. I would recommend not trying to translate those sections if you don’t understand them. Writing parts of conversations in Spanish was an artistic choice. Imo, non Spanish speakers are not meant to know what’s being said. That’s part of the experience of it. Spanish speakers will catch everything and non-Spanish speaker will miss things, feel lost, or not fully understand. And to me, that is part of the point of the artistic choice that was made. If not understanding what’s going on makes you feel uncomfortable, sit with that!
Graphic: Gun violence, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Torture, Child abuse, Body horror, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Cannibalism
jennifer_bush_73's review
2.5
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Cancer, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Death of parent, Violence, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts
oro91's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Racism, Violence, Cannibalism, Blood, Cancer, Body horror, Medical trauma, Murder, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
goldenas's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Child death, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Drug use, Gore, Body horror, Drug abuse, and Gun violence
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Cannibalism, and Suicidal thoughts
regen20's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Xenophobia, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Drug use, Cursing, Physical abuse, Murder, Drug abuse, and Death
Moderate: Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Minor: Racial slurs and Pregnancy
quackthump's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Addiction, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Torture