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grizelybear's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm rating this a 3.5 because this was not an enjoyable book, but in terms of what it wanted to achieve, which was apparently to take us into the mind of a fucked up degenerate, it definitely succeeded in all fronts. This was an uncanny (and disturbing) character study, and for that, I do salute the author.
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, and Racial slurs
writeasiread's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Stalking, and Murder
cinderrunner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The only reason it isn't 5☆ is that the flow and pacing does feel really confusing when you start and that makes it hard to get into the real flow things and understand the plot. I also take issue with the author choosing to make her sadistic and extremel sexually driven (and perverted) serial killer a gay man (when the stereotype has always been that they are predators). Especially given that this novel was written/published on close to the end of the aids epidemic when gay men were being treated even more vilified than normal. Even if Oates did not intentionally mean to create such a dangerous stereotype I cannot believe that she wasn't at least subconsciously biased by homophobia when writing.
Definitely worth checking trigger warnings.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Child death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Stalking, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gore, and Sexual content
reginahafner_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, Racial slurs, Ableism, Bullying, Deadnaming, Sexual harassment, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
tailwhip's review against another edition
- 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
1.0
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
bofadeez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Rape, Murder, Pedophilia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Gore
annihilatrix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Child abuse, Hate crime, Stalking, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Child death
Moderate: Addiction, Vomit, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Torture, and Cannibalism
Minor: Ableism, Vomit, Body shaming, Slavery, and Animal cruelty
_egg_wash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Torture
Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, and Blood
thaatswhatsheread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture