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mgseaton01'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
vigil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
1.5
if you entered this book for the sea creature element, and you enjoyed the commentary on trauma, and all the other shit that fucked up baby started spouting towards the end, read the deep by rivers solomon, which a better take on the subjects by a mile.
this book tried to posit itself and its character work as something it wasn’t, and this is at it’s clearest in the ending, that is meant to be a kind of reclamation of oneself and autonomy, but to the reader, evidently less concerned with symbolism than the author, it comes across as a new kind of chain. really, the prose is lovely, and the atmosphere is strong, rocklyn conveys very visceral horror and emotions through the protagonist’s experience, but there’s really nothing in this book that justifies reading it.
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
bluebrooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
(if u like this u will probably also enjoy here, the world entire !!)
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Abortion
talonsontypewriters's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Infidelity and Sexism
Unwanted/forced pregnancy; childbirth and post-natal care. Infant death/harm. Generational trauma; discrimination/persecution. Urination, various other bodily fluids, brief emetophobia. Animal attacks, including on children. Needles in the context of wound care.abby_griesmar'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? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
shadeyc's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was a bit confused at the beginning, and part of the middle. There are a few flash backs that I got mixed up with dreamscapes, so it felt a bit muddly. BUT! The end is triumphant.
The last quarter/end ramped this up a whole star for me, even though it feels abrupt.
Someone else has mentioned they felt the same reading this as they did reading The Deep.
I personally liked The Deep a little better, but I'm used to Solomon's writing style and I felt that book was a little longer, had more room to fully immerse you. Plus that one got me in the feels hard.
This is an excellent novella - it's full of anger and maternal horror. Perhaps I was a little disconnected from it as I am not a mother and don't plan to be, so it had to lie solely on body horror and painful history to get to me.
I'm definitely interested to read more from this author in the future though.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Fire/Fire injury