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gbyronwilliams's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Excrement, Murder, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Excrement
Minor: Sexual assault, Bullying, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Body horror, and Blood
smashlebeans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This story is mildly disturbing, but not at all scary, though I did enjoy the twist at the end. The main character and the chapters with the blog posts were a bit annoying at times. Overall, I recommend reading it, but adjust your expectations about the genre of the book.
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Suicide, Self harm, Vomit, Violence, and Mental illness
exhumedprince's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Self harm, Stalking, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Sexual content, Blood, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Chronic illness, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Misogyny, Excrement, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
onemamareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Body horror, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Death, Murder, Blood, Vomit, Violence, Suicide, Mental illness, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Torture, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Confinement, and Child death
aatroxskitten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really do feel like coming out of this with that same feeling of watching Game of Thrones. It held my attention. I focused on it. I'm not upset I saw it. But I have criticisms in how one can discuss the misogyny and voyeurism of exorcist fiction and then seemingly revel in it as a plot point.
I am on the fence as to whether the portrayal is ableist. I am not sure about my feelings on it overall. Writing this, I bumped it from 3 stars to 2.
A nice writing style, though, and the story definitely holds the attention. I'm just left with the same sort of mixed feelings I had about the Red Wedding on film.
Graphic: Death of parent, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Child death
chloseencounter'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
5.0
There was so much here, I honestly don’t even know how to talk about it all. First and foremost I think having the majority of this story being told in the eyes of an eight year old was great, there was so much tension even in Majorie’s most mild episodes because truthfully Merry had no idea what Marjorie might say or do, or if she (or anyone else) would protect her from someone she wasn’t even completely sure she was afraid of. I enjoyed all the nods to classic horror media but also the way common tropes were twisted and turned on their head, we’re asked “is anyone ever really possessed or has the church always been taking advantage of the vulnerability of the mentally ill and fueling the psychosis of the sick?” There were so many parallels and metaphors in the book I reveled in picking apart and analyzing, I think this novel had so much to say very eloquently hidden beneath what the story seemed to be at face value.
My one critique looks to be the common one…the blog sections were cringy at best and annoying at worst, but despite the kind of “hello fellow kids” attempt at writing a blog post that was supposed to sound as if it was written by a hip and up on the trends women in her early 20s, I still enjoyed the detached POV of what this family’s suffering looked like to the world and how the show succeeded to make good television but failed Majorie and Merry. (Every adult did to be completely honest) I also appreciated the insight we got by hearing Merry’s thoughts coming from her child self, her adult self, and (vague spoiler) an alter ego of sorts. I thought it was sweet that in all three contexts you could still see Merry and how some bits of her personality never change.
Without spoiling I did actually quite like the twist ending because even that, may or may not be true. I think Merry has grown to be a fairly well rounded individual especially for what she’s been through, but even still, much like Majorie I think her head is full of ghosts too and maybe some things she said were simply manifestations of guilt but also maybe they weren’t…and I don’t think are meant to know for sure.
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Self harm, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Child death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Death, Gaslighting, and Gore
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Vomit, Abandonment, Mental illness, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
Minor: Excrement, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Alcohol, Cursing, Medical content, Misogyny, and Sexual content
janachigo's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Vomit, Alcoholism, Blood, and Cursing
patroklos'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: Child death, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Vomit
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Alcoholism
ashleyalyse'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
5.0
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
Minor: Excrement
dargent94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Mental illness and Vomit
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Gore
Minor: Child abuse