autumngk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Spoiler
after she’s adjusted to prison life during their group when the arsonist is telling her story and some of the other women are talking and Dorothy reveals a possible change in her feelings about what she’s done/herself. It’s not worthy of a sequel, just a couple more chapters here and there. While what we’re left with is a complete picture, it felt like there were just some missed opportunities. So many offers were put up in the air by introducing her in the present as working in the library; especially given her relationship with Emma, it felt unfinished in a way. We know so much about her while she’s cannibalizing and murdering these men senselessly, but it feels pointless to still know her while she’s imprisoned and know so little about her in the present. She still has the same voice. She still speaks the same about humanity. What about her changed? if nothing did, why this story? Why now? Just to sell cannibal torture porn?Graphic: Body horror, Car accident, Death, Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, Classism, Confinement, Injury/injury detail, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Stalking, Torture, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Forced institutionalization
ephemeral_remi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Torture, Sexual content, Cannibalism, Cursing, Grief, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Rape and Vomit
Minor: Animal death, Car accident, Misogyny, Alcohol, and Animal cruelty
ly_didi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Gore, Cannibalism, Death, Mental illness, Murder, and Torture
sarahjxde's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Gore, Murder, Blood, Torture, Rape, Injury/injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Cannibalism
raquelcanread'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Stalking, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
stressedtiredreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Cannibalism, Torture, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident and Sexual assault
hayleyw'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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Violence, Torture, Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, and Cannibalism
sarabara's review against another edition
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, and Torture
paulasnotsosecretdiary's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dorothy Daniels turns her adoration of food into a career as a food critic and writer. She proudly defies social conventions, engaging in behaviors that other people would consider disgusting and shameful. She is also a proud psychopath and serial killer, admitting to all the ways she uses people, collects information about them to use at her whim, and throws them away without a care. Her appetites are enormous. After tasting everything, a terrible accident presents Dorothy the chance to taste the ultimate forbidden dish: human flesh.
As the story begins, Dorothy recalls the crime that sent her to prison for the remainder of her life. As she serves her sentence, Dorothy writes her autobiography, recounting her youth, including the organic food her mother grew and cooked. Dorothy recalls her food writing career throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including the dishes she tastes, people she sleeps with, and the information she gathers on every one of her lovers and bosses. When she loses her job during the 2008 recession and has to turn to freelancing for internet websites in her 50s, something breaks a bit more inside Dorothy.
You may ask, why should I read this book; the narrator is a monster. Dorothy Daniels is smart, funny, and charming; she is a fantastic storyteller. The novel reads as though sitting down to dinner with a fascinating and terrifying guest. It also offers readers insight into how the loss of print publications, especially glossy magazines with incredible photography and long-format articles, impacted writers, and how readers lost something when these publications folded or went online. The story is fast-paced and filled with action, featuring lovingly detailed descriptions and language, resulting from a great deal of time and care in its writing.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Excrement, Gore, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence