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hi_im_tate's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Now, onto the contents of this book. I can see why people call this book "gross". It does explore some intense kinks (biting, blood, guns) with minors, but I thought it was done in a good way when they were CONSENSUAL! Reading about minors doing some of these things did gross me out, but I also have to remember that this stuff in real life already. That was another this that made me enjoy this book. The things that happened in this book have happened and will happen in real life. It makes it much more harder to swallow. Looking at the relationships between the girls reminded me of my relationships with friends growing up (though, not as intense). Having a friendship with a group like this, where two are deemed the "leaders" and one an "outcast" really describes adolescent female friendships well in my experience. Growing up with one person all your life makes the two of you merge together in a way you wouldn't have thought possible before.
The descent into psychosis felt real to me, even though I have never experienced it. The repetitive movements, the noticing small details, and the panic that is ever encompassing a person made ME feel like I was in her shoes. I could hold empathy for her because of what had happened to her and how she "learned" to deal with it.
The dealing of the religious trauma was probably my favorite part. Denying your sexuality, forming something you can actually believe in, questioning everything you've learned about the religion you were raised as. It definitely sheds light on how religion can fuck someone up.
The imagery from this book was wonderfully grotesque. It was a book I didn't want to put down; not necessarily because it was so good, but because I wanted the answers hidden in the pages. And I still don't feel satisfied with what I got
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship
paperknotbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Eating disorder, and Excrement
savvylit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This unsettling novel is about motherhood, daughterhood, girlhood, and feminine power. Ojeda crafts beautifully eerie sentences that are evocative to the point of being cinematic. The coven-like group of girls at the story's center is so deliciously unhinged in a way that only teenage girls can be. Their desire for agency and power is the driving factor in the disturbing choices that they make under Annelise's leadership.
All in all, Jawbone is quite the fever dream. I loved Ojeda's evocative style and discussions of female power & relationships. Ultimately, though, the inconsistent timeline interrupted the flow of this story for me. I don't always feel that books need linear timelines but, in this case, I think that Jawbone would have benefited greatly from that feature.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
maragtzrbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Un grupo de amigas adolescentes encuentran un lugar donde puede jugar, explorar sus límites y experimentar el dolor. Un lugar donde crean historias y cuentan creepy pastas, hasta que una desaparece y sale a luz lo macabro.
La autora con cada capítulo nos lleva a diferentes momentos de la línea del tiempo y con ello a diferentes puntos de vista y tipos de narración.
Una novela única y extraordinaria, con momentos escalofriantes y repulsivos, una historia que confunde, profundiza e incomoda. Explora la crudeza de crecer, de tratar de encontrarse en las sombras, de la maternidad que se ausenta y de la sexualidad que devora.
Sólo al tratar de escribir una reseña me regresaron las ganas de leerlo y de seguir comprando todo lo que Mónica Ojeda ha escrito.
Recuerden leer los trigger warnings antes.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
cantfindmybookmark'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
4.25
If I had to quickly summarize this book I’d say it’s Heathers meets the Craft meets Psycho. It’s about mean girls and toxic friendships and obsession and madness.
This book places queer, female desire at its center as it explores the horrors of adolescence and aging, the thin line between pleasure and pain, and the many dualities of womanhood. It combines angst and madness in a way that cautions (strongly) against uncontrolled desire.
Jawbone is a truly disturbing book. Not just with its imagery (which can be downright gross) but also with the very composition of the prose. With each subordinate clause and parenthetical remark within parenthetical remark, the reader grows more and more uncomfortable and the foreboding and claustrophobic atmosphere intensifies.
This is Ojeda’s first book to be translated into English and all I can say is man, I can’t wait for more.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexism, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, and Classism
Minor: Animal death
biblioghoul's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Body shaming and Religious bigotry
taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
CW: up to where I read
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
aliciarosales's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
moss_martii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
our_bookish_reads'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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, and Rape