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eri_cat93'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
3.75
After a traumatic childhood (putting it mildly) that left her estranged from her mother, now adult Vera is summoned home to get the house in order during her mother's final days. The story starts off slow and creepy, revealing bits and pieces of Vera's dark childhood and happenings she still doesn't quite understand as an adult. Between confronting her memories of this home and dealing with the artist her mother allowed in to "gain inspiration" from the terrors of this house, girl has a lot going on. She has to confront the house, her unloving mother, and the fact that she might be more like her long gone, loving father than she'd like to admit.
The back half of this book is scary and unexpected and gross and messed up all in the best ways. I will admit though, I'm torn between the ending being surprising & sufficiently creepy, or just a little cheesy with some spooky sprinkled on top.
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse
orlagal'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
ixris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Blood
fionamclary'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? Yes
4.75
Whew, I absolutely tore through this one. Two days!!
Although I struggled at times with Sarah Gailey's frequent use of repetition in their writing, the exploration of the gray area and overlap between love and monstrosity ultimately won me over. This book will have you asking yourself who the real monster is up until the very last page. However, as Gailey makes clear in their acknowledgements, in real life the delineation should always be clear: You deserve love, not monsters. But exploring the ways in which monsters can love us and love can be monstrous still matters when too many are living in that exact situation.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
alek_n's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
biobeetle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, and Blood
bella613's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
acorn192k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Blood, and Kidnapping
falchionm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
wheeliechick's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Blood