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bookmaddie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
laurenmcnamara's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent
naturemamareads'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Grief
keatynbergsten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
amelew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
readalongwithnat's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
WOW. I have been sleeping on story collections and that was a mistake. This is my second one this month and I really enjoyed it. There are definitely dark topics in this book, but I would have gladly listened to a full length book of each of these stories.
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, and Death of parent
mezzarella's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Although each story is written expertly, it's likely that a couple stories will linger in your mind more than others. The story about a woman grieving after her miscarriage and another woman realizing her child is in a romantic relationship with her teacher in particular stand out a day or two after reading the book. Readers should be warned that while these stories do have a beginning, middle, and end, their resolutions are at times not as clear or complete as some may hope for. (The open ended nature of these stories are part of the reason that each story should be dissected and interpreted by the reader before starting the next one.)
For readers who are fans of horror elements or literary fiction, this book is certain to live up to expectations. For a debut short story collection especially, Milk Blood Heat is a triumph. Despite its taboo elements described in the book, it's clearly capable of hooking its readers.
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Infidelity, Cannibalism, and Religious bigotry
_lia_reads_'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
4.5
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
rosiecockshutt's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Drug use, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, and Cannibalism
franklybookish's review against another edition
4.5
CW: suicidal ideation, rape, sexual abuse, miscarriage, abortion, cannibalism, suicide, grief
"What is the nature of hate? What's it useful for? And Zey imagines the townspeople, their whispers, and cruel laws, their narrowed eyes. How they ostracized the women [The Scarlet Letter], conspired to contain her light.
They were scared of her, Zey tells the teacher, realizing it as she speaks, and he jabs a finger in her direction. Yes! Exactly that, he says. Now he's getting excited, pacing before their desks, and Zey tilts forward in her seat, angling closer to his truth. Hate, he continues is almost always a cover for some perceived psychological threat-- our guilt or pain. Our fear. And how do we treat things of which we are afraid?" from 'Tongues'
Review: I found this debut to be a remarkable, authentic, and poignant collection of moments, interactions, relationships, and individuals grounded in common situations, yet hidden in the dark spaces of what we keep out of public eyes. Written in a lyrical, truly raw, and unencumbered way it's impossible to not feel compelled and emotionally linked to these characters. Moniz, in so few pages, draws the reader in and develops foundational relationships, in many ways better and stronger than many 200+ page novels do. Many of these stories, although ambiguous in nature and lacking traditional resolutions, find great success in the emotional transference to readers of what the characters are going through, how they are attempting to navigate life, and the impact of their relationships.
As with most short story collections, some stories were stronger than others. 'Milk Blood Heat' the first story presented and from which the whole collection is named, is one of the stronger pieces. Additionally, 'Tongues' and 'The Hearts of Our Enemies' stood out to me, though none of the stories stood out as a true "week link", the entire collection is strong. I personally loved the darkness of these stories, to me that darkness mimicked true life and meant there was no shying away from the truth of difficult situations and the impact of mental health.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the advanced e-copy in exchange for a fair review*
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Blood and Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Grief, Cannibalism, and Religious bigotry