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asparagusisreading's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, and Sexual content
camerondeja's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racism, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
- This is about vampires, but
they work much like the aliens in Butler's other books. - Again, I struggle with understanding why Butler includes taboo sex acts. I don't think it's for shock value.
- The
trial and detective work were the most interesting parts.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Murder
the_true_monroe's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.5
But I do need to say that having the protagonist being called a “child” the entire time and looking like she was 10 years old is unsettling, even knowing she is an over half century old vampire. Vampire adults completely acknowledged their attraction to her and only being able to not act yet since she is still a child!
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Genocide and Misogyny
Minor: Ableism, Biphobia, and Slavery
chrobin's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
As someone who has been obsessed with vampire stories since I was a pre-teen, raised on Anne Rice, I always knew that vampire stories were allegories for sexual desire, lust, consent, etc. Many vampire stories are written as romantic fantasies of women losing agency, but wanting it so badly… romanticizing age gaps, enthrallment, violent acts of all natures, always coming back to pleasure, repressed sexuality. Just look at Twilight... Butler takes all of these themes, flips them around, and makes you look hard at them, very plainly - which for me adds to the discomfort. And while many claim she didn’t address the pedophilia appropriately, I think that her ability to make you so very uncomfortable in so few words is a part of this matter-of-fact horror.
Graphic: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, and Fire/Fire injury
hannahhank13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Death of parent
smaber23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
CSA is a major part of the novel as other reviewers have pointed out. This is always a controversial variable to include in a vampire novel: adult living inside of a child's body. Though it is nothing new to those of of us who read vampire novels (CSA is frequently depicted in Anne Rice's IWTV), it's nonetheless shocking and disturbing.
Additionally, vampire books must have rules spelled out for the reader: do they burn or sparkle in the sun? Where do they source their blood? What are their morals, if they have any? How does one become a vampire or destroy one? The main character in this novel has amnesia as well as the novel being written from a first person POV. It quickly became a story being told to the reader instead of showing the story unfolding.
The final act of the book was the best in my opinion. If this hasn't been the author's final book, I do believe it would have more flesh and better storytelling. Overall, I will not be rereading or recommending.
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Blood
fannylaine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Animal death
franklloydweft's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Copied from fable:
The only reason this isn’t getting a higher rating from me is for things that I think Butler totally intended, but I just couldn’t get past. The idea of Shori having the appearance of a 10 year old child without her memory, despite her not being human, and still behaving sexually with adult human beings really icked me out. I felt better and better about it as I read, but I cannot get past the sheer discomfort it gave me in the beginning. I also thought that particular element took away from my enjoyment more than enhancing it. I understand what Butler was doing with that particular detail; it’s deliberately uncomfortable to our human sensibilities and further *others* the Ina from us in a subtle way. However, I think for me personally it detracted from this overall very interesting take on vampire lore. The idea of symbionts having an almost exclusively sexual relationship towards feeding was a little off-putting for me too. I think I would have liked it better if that relationship was more ambiguous. No matter, I still really enjoyed this book!
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Racism, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Gun violence
kemrick19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail