Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

17 reviews

chris_reads's review

emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders

rochelleisreading's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying and Sexual content

Minor: Abandonment

blewballoon's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced

• 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

4.5

I admit I bought this based on the cover, and I can happily say that the cover matches the tone and quality of the book very well. I would recommend this to fans of Howl's Moving Castle the Studio Ghibli film (not the book it's based on), but the atmosphere is somewhat darker and less fanciful. I would also compare it to Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, but the writing felt closer to the characters and easier to submerge into. I listened to the audiobook and I thought the narrator did a great job of  handling the complex pronunciations and reflecting Liska's positive attitude in the face of danger and horror. 

I expected the ending, but I hoped I might be wrong. The epilogue offers a small glimmer of hope.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

baileymalaylee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Loved everything about this from the endearing characters to the unsettling folktale vibes. Can NOT believe this was a debut novel

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Death of parent

Minor: Body horror

alexijai98's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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

Was going to give this less than 3 stars but it did nearly bring me to tears at the end so! Overall a fine read, if you’re a fan of Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf you’d enjoy this!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Sexism and Religious bigotry

Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

atypicalley's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• 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

4.25

There is some truly delectable description tucked away in here, if you can stomach the present tense (which always throws me off when I see it, but worked well). 

Lovingly rendered Polish legends, tenderly worded enemies to lovers, and a stellar ending. 

If I had any complaints, it’s the combination of a slow pacing and a difficulty understanding how, exactly, magic actually works in this world — given the way the book works, they’re tied together. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror and Violence

Minor: Sexual content

main character death, tragic end with a bittersweet hope for a souls return

batbaby's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad medium-paced

• 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Self harm

annatar1060's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I personally love this book. It's enchanting! Definitely Cozy Adjacent. There are high stakes in a magical and fairytale setting with some dark, spooky, and gruesome tragedy. Also with a lot of beauty and wonder. There is found family and love. I loved how closely magic was connected to nature and each person had a different element representing their magic. Moths, Butterflies and Bees. This book was beautifully descriptive and had excellent characters whom I loved. The polish folklore made me want to connect more to my polish heritage and I really enjoyed the polish names. I love that we got to see the main characters through each other's eyes at one point or another. Made the love a little deeper. I want to read this again now that I know the secrets. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror

A little spooky and graphic Very "grimm"

rambles's review

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I adored this mix of Polish Folklore, Beauty and the Beast, and Howl's Moving Castle. It has the perfect found family vibes. My only complaint is how fast everything happens in universe time. All that happened in

four months. That's a wild four months.

Loved the narrator for the audiobook too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Blood

kaneebli's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

why can't books like this ever just have a goddamn happy ending. why's it always gotta be so bittersweet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide