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mmoonlight's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
That was a great choice of a novel for a horror-related book club.
It was unsettling, intriguing, disorienting, very strange, and that mix really worked for me. The style of writing, and the way it constantly underlined how the main character was running out of time, inspired uneasiness, dread, and anxiety, especially since throughout most of the novella the main character wasn't aware of what she's supposed to be looking out for.
Another thing I enjoyed about the story was that, because I wasn't exactly sure what was happening, I assume it can be read in any way the reader likes: is it a supernatural horror story? Is it psychological horror? Is it magical realism? Is it an environmental horror? Is it a story about a mother experiencing anxiety and some sort of mental illness? It can be all of them, it can be none of them, it can be something else altogether. What I am sure of is that it certainly did read like a fever dream.
My only real complain is about the ending. I found it to be confusing and a bit anticlimactic, considering the pace of the rest of the story. It felt too abrupt.
But other than that? I really enjoyed the novella, and it's definitely worth of checking out.
It was unsettling, intriguing, disorienting, very strange, and that mix really worked for me. The style of writing, and the way it constantly underlined how the main character was running out of time, inspired uneasiness, dread, and anxiety, especially since throughout most of the novella the main character wasn't aware of what she's supposed to be looking out for.
Another thing I enjoyed about the story was that, because I wasn't exactly sure what was happening, I assume it can be read in any way the reader likes: is it a supernatural horror story? Is it psychological horror? Is it magical realism? Is it an environmental horror? Is it a story about a mother experiencing anxiety and some sort of mental illness? It can be all of them, it can be none of them, it can be something else altogether. What I am sure of is that it certainly did read like a fever dream.
My only real complain is about the ending. I found it to be confusing and a bit anticlimactic, considering the pace of the rest of the story. It felt too abrupt.
But other than that? I really enjoyed the novella, and it's definitely worth of checking out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Medical content
Moderate: Ableism and Grief
Minor: Stalking
iseefirede's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Overall a very confusing, yet ominous read. I've read that the title "Fever Dream" is an inaccurate translation and that "Rescue Distance" makes more sense. Given the context of the book, I would agree. It delves into the guilt that is involved in parenting and that despite our best efforts, we can't protect our children from everything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
hauntedantiqueshop's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Such a quick read with a lot happening (hence the title), thought I’d somehow missed stuff. I understand the author pulled inspiration from the very real consequences of harmful pesticides being used in Argentina but I didn’t like the way the disabled children were written about in this. It just felt off and I can’t quite put my finger on it on the exact reason. The ending was heartbreaking though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child abuse
noveltay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Read this in 2 hours. What an exciting, fast paced, true horror book! No gore, no jump scares, but a creepy kid, creepy town, and a creepy illness. So happy I randomly picked this book out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Grief
ribbenkast's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
This book is exactly what the title suggests: a complete fever dream.
The prose and storytelling devise were interesting enough. I liked the themes of motherhood, grief and the various motives used by the author. Overall I think this book is very clever and has all the checkmarks of becoming a future classic.
But (and this might be a translation issue) I found it hard to understand what was going on. Despite It's overall literary quality I couldn't quite manage to connect with the book personally. I like unreliable narrotors, especially ones that also have no clue about what is actually happening, but I felt like the hints that are supposed to tell the reader what was actually going on where too hidden away in throwaway lines and are easily missed. You have to be paying attention to every single little word in every sentence and whilst I can respect that whenever an author is doing that, I just didnt care much for it with this particular story.
Also, the back blurb and especially the recommendation qoutes on the inside promised me a bone chilling horror story that would "make me lock the doors at night". Why? The "danger" in the book (if you could call it that) has nothing to do with horror and does not leave you spooked.
The prose and storytelling devise were interesting enough. I liked the themes of motherhood, grief and the various motives used by the author. Overall I think this book is very clever and has all the checkmarks of becoming a future classic.
But (and this might be a translation issue) I found it hard to understand what was going on. Despite It's overall literary quality I couldn't quite manage to connect with the book personally. I like unreliable narrotors, especially ones that also have no clue about what is actually happening, but I felt like the hints that are supposed to tell the reader what was actually going on where too hidden away in throwaway lines and are easily missed. You have to be paying attention to every single little word in every sentence and whilst I can respect that whenever an author is doing that, I just didnt care much for it with this particular story.
Also, the back blurb and especially the recommendation qoutes on the inside promised me a bone chilling horror story that would "make me lock the doors at night". Why? The "danger" in the book (if you could call it that) has nothing to do with horror and does not leave you spooked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
librarymouse's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
3.0
I'm really not sure what to think of this book. It's very consumable. I read it in just over an hour. At a few points, I wondered if this book is an allegory for the changes that occur when a child starts showing signs of autism, since both David and Nina are noted to line up things just before their poisoning becomes severe. I'm not sure that that is the case, but this book, as per the title, reads like a fever dream. There's definitely a commentary being made on the visibility of disabled children, how they're viewed when the disability is developed, and on a wealth disparity between the urban well to do and the rural poor.
I'm sure if I were to read this again and again, I'd find a new understanding each time.
the confirmation of the migrations being done in the greenhouse being real, at the end, is an interesting twist (?). I don't know that it can be called a twist because David is co narrating, and were told by Carla that it is real, but Amanda's scepticism is infectious. Nina being in David's body at the end of the book, unrecognized by her father is heartbreaking. Carla saying that if she could have another child, she'd want one like Nina is made all the more unsettling and sad with the ending. Her tying knots, as if trying to reinstate the snapped, ineffable rope that connects her to her mother
I'm sure if I were to read this again and again, I'd find a new understanding each time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Medical content, and Grief
books_onthe_ground's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Worms and anxiety. That’s this book in two words. This book was short, tense and intriguing; I read it in one sitting. I am a horror reader and as this book was marketed as creepy I will say that I was a tiny bit disappointed that it wasn’t as creepy as I thought it was going to be. That said, I really enjoyed the suspense of this book and I read it so quickly because I desperately wanted to know what the hell was going on! Personally I wanted a little more of a creepy atmosphere but other than I loved this book. If you are looking for a short, suspenseful and confusing novella this is for you and I absolutely recommend it. I’m still confused, but the good kind, you know? Fever dream is definitely an accurate title.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Medical content, and Grief
jjjreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Classism
dustghosts's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Medical trauma
alexalily's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Animal cruelty and Stalking