Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

48 reviews

theowinterwood's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Giving a lot of points for style here, but I figure it's warranted. I think overall the main flaw is it could have been at least 20% longer and given itself more breathing room, especially in the final act, where things played out a little too fast to sustain the tension and dread the stakes should have at that point. If what's coming is going to be unavoidable (and it should be), let us sit in the dread of watching it come a little longer.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Self harm, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent

ajosaurus's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death, and Blood

Minor: Physical abuse and Pandemic/Epidemic

tamara_joy's review

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Excrement

spadedigsbutts's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Incest, Xenophobia, and Classism

ellington_rist's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Rape, Blood, Medical trauma, and Murder

Minor: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Incest, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

hellavaral's review

dark medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Excrement

blueroo's review

dark medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Self harm, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Incest

shyshadow's review

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bea_reads_books's review

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Ugh this really hit the spot for me. My absolute favorite kind of deliciously fucked up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Sexism, and Grief

Minor: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Stalking

readingpicnic's review

3.75

I don't really know how I feel about this book...it has to marinate a bit more. I will say that these are some actually morally gray characters in very fucked up ways, which was fun sometimes. I think I got confused about what was happening at some points in the book, and I didn't really understand the ending, so I almost want to reread it... It did keep me guessing the whole book about what was going on, and most of my theories ended up being wrong lol. The lack of consent in this book was upsetting...I'm not sure if it was because the main characters are meant to be fucked up or if it's romanticizing the SA? Pretty fucked though. They are sooo toxic. I don't think I understood either of the main characters' motivations for the entirety of the book whic lended to my confusion. The atmosphere in this book was so incredibly well done: the oiliest, greasiest, grimiest gay book I've ever read. The body horror was also amazing, with disgusting lines like "curdled genitals" on a dead body. Also, why is Johann literally Addie LaRue? Reading this felt like reading a toxic gay anime fanfiction; like, this is what I imagine Noé and Vanitas fanfics are like from the anime The Case Study of Vanitas.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Stalking