Scan barcode
kjboldon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
2024: now in the permanent library and recommended many times. Preteen Karen Reyes lives in 1960s Chicago and imagines she's a monster, though the adults around her, apart from her mother, are the ones that can't seem to keep their monstrous aspects in check.
There is a mystery of how a neighbor died, so Karen dons a trenchcoat and brimmed hat to investigate, all while being bullied at school, harboring a crush on a schoolmate, inventing an imaginary friend, and trying to navigate issues of race, class, poverty, and the morass of her family's secrets that keep getting withheld from her.
Karen is such a beating heart of a main character. I adore her and fear for her.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
yrioona's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Genocide, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Antisemitism
tangleroot_eli'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? Yes
1st read, 2022: This book isn't perfect, but it's perfectly captivating, and now I'm among the legions of fans (im)patiently dreaming of Book 2.
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Vomit, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Moderate: Saneism Minor: Nonconsensual drug usekrys_kilz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The main character and narrator, Karen Reyes, warms my little queer heart. I love how unapologetically weird she is, how full of curiosity and spunk. I appreciated all the LGBTQ characters and the pro-SWer sentiment. With the body horror subplot, you could definitely read this as a trans narrative too.
The use of horror and multiple meanings of what makes a monster was also incredibly powerful. There is some sharp social critique / political analysis woven throughout that is really striking in conversation with the artwork. I also appreciated the threads comparing trauma to being haunted.
There is a lot of heavy content and I agree that the narrative was a bit scattered at times, but overall I loved this book and am excited to read Volume II.
tw: adult/minor relationship, pedophilia, antisemitism, Holocaust, cancer, rape
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Genocide, Pedophilia, Rape, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Homophobia, and Racial slurs
fab7xox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, and Bullying
acciobecks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, and War
billylegenie'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Rape, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Murder
literarylion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Blood
mothdan'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Stalking, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
caedy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Suicide, and Antisemitism