bookboxbabe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
i wasn’t spooked or anything but i had no idea it was a retelling of edgar allan poe when i picked it up, which is on me i admit (i don’t like eap)
regardless, the book was boring.
not bad, not good, just blah. it was quick which is why i finished it in one sitting, but i just didn’t care about anything that happened.
Spoiler
and fungus? really? alright then, i guess that’s the hill we’re dying on.the only character i hoped lived and that i actually liked was hob. yes, the horse. he was the only good person in here.
this would work well as a short film or movie i think. the vibes were there and it would’ve been more eerie and creepy in film form.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Body horror, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Suicide, Murder, Sexism, and Medical content
remuslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Alcohol, Animal death, Death, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexism and Fire/Fire injury
n_iniel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Body horror, Terminal illness, and War
Moderate: Sexism, Mental illness, and Medical content
Minor: Suicide
blacksphinx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Terminal illness, Medical content, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, Gore, War, and Vomit
Minor: Transphobia, Sexism, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, and Xenophobia
Minor: Drowningcowardlyteaman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Unfortunately, this did not hold up to my expectations.
First of all, I don't see the need for this fictional world that Kingfisher has created. She spends valuable pages explaining a world that isn't relevant to her story. That's not to say that I don't like it, but I wish she would've chosen one or the other—fantasy novel or a short horror story.
Because the mystery doesn't really start until the book is nearly done. I never really got the feeling of something ominous or even anticipation for what happened next. Well, that isn't entirely true. The part about the rabbits really intrigued me! But Kingfisher's writing style here seems too—rushed. She's moved on to the next point before she ever lets the last impression set in. I want more detail—insight into the characters.
Still, I like that she writes a non-binary character without writing an LGBT novel. I'm gay myself—I have nothing against them, but representation in genres that aren't LGBT is important, I think. Normalises it.
Spoiler
Another thing I'd like to mention, is that I personally didn't like at all the part where the fungus learns to talk and speaks through Madeleine and stuff. It was boring, really. Felt cliché and wasn't actually eerie in the least.Well, as a whole, I just think the mystery and horror never struck me. I very rarely read horror at all, but I do love Poe's work, so this disappointed me deeply.
However! Not a bad book. As I said, there were parts that intrigued me, but I'd really expected more of this book.
Graphic: Gore, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol and Grief
Minor: Vomit, Transphobia, War, Misogyny, Sexism, and Suicide
alexandryareads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Sexism, and Death
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: War and Death of parent
hwesta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Very good book, I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the underpinnings of the horrible things, I never want to think about mushrooms or hares again
Graphic: Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gore, Body horror, and Animal death
Moderate: Suicide, Murder, and Grief
Minor: Vomit, Sexism, and War
jenna_rren86's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Sexism
lipstickitotheman's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Chronic illness, Body horror, Confinement, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Death of parent, Suicide, Ableism, Classism, Self harm, War, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Vomit
gellyreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexism, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: War and Suicide