cass_lit's review against another edition
2.25
1) The format. These were short stories that didn’t seem interconnected, but most (I think at least one wasn’t) were told in first person. This means as soon as you figure out who your narrator is, because there’s no omniscient one to tell you, you’re moving onto another narrator. I don’t dislike short stories or essays as a rule, but this one really didn’t work for me.
2) The content. What the fuck. I get that it’s macabre intentionally and meant to reflect the horror of reality, but when these topics are brought up in short stories like this without the space to discuss them… it just feels exploitative.
Some examples, though I’m sure I’m forgetting a few (*trigger and spoiler warnings ahead*): child abuse, child rape, child murder, child neglect, alcohol and drug abuse, rape, murder, abuse, animal cruelty (including eating of a live cat), use of the r-word and racist/xenophobic/classist language. And again — I get that these are unfortunately real horrors sometimes (or are meant to represent other real issues), but *I* don’t like when there’s no discussion on them apart from their shock value.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Excrement, Sexual violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Fatphobia, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Rape, Animal death, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
Moderate: Police brutality, Body horror, Body shaming, and Classism
Minor: Lesbophobia and Gaslighting
emmaopaline'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? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Blood, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Child death, and Body shaming
Moderate: Abandonment and Animal cruelty
angela_iseli's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Gaslighting, Gore, Child death, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Blood, Death, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Sexism, Mental illness, Police brutality, and Murder
danycatreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Medical trauma, Classism, Medical content, Body horror, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Self harm, Mental illness, Hate crime, Death, Gore, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Grief, and Fatphobia
intshadow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
-la hostería: ★
-los años intoxicados: ★ ★ ★
-la casa de Adela: ★ ★ ★
-pablito clavo un clavito; una evocación del petiso orejudo:
★ ★
-tela de araña: ★
-fin de curso: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (este si me dio miedo)
-nada de carne sobre nosotras: ★ ★ ★
-el patio del vecino: ★ ★ ★
-bajo el agua negra: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
-verde rojo anaranjado: ★
-las cosas que perdimos en el fuego:
★ ★ ★
siento que el hype si me pego esta vez, siempre que alguien hablaba de este libro veía solo reseñas positivas, calificación de 5 estrellas, etc, entonces mis expectativas estaban por los cielos (lo cual nunca es bueno) y honestamente si me sentí un poco decepcionada.
Algo que me gusta mucho en las historias de terror es que te dejen lo peor a tu imaginación, sin embargo, aquí estaba usado en CADA HISTORIA, lo cual lo volvió un poco molesto tbh, además, siento que a la mayoría de las historias les falto un poco más de información para que esto de los finales abiertos funcionara.
Minor: Child death, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
allyah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Minor: Abandonment, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
moraofthestory's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Self harm, Rape, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Death, Murder, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Trafficking, Transphobia, Stalking, and Eating disorder
Minor: Excrement