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jinmichae's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Horror in the mundane:
Reading this in digital was useful to check on whether names had been used in earlier stories, because there's a feeling of interconnectedness throughout the whole book. Still unsure what all the connections are though: maybe I need to think on it. Or Google it haha. (My searching points out that the song at the end is important on understanding who J Harris is, and helped me realize that his appearances throughout the books are part of the strange "horror behind your shoulder" feeling while reading. Very nicely done.)
This is what anxiety feels like. The actual horror in so many of these stories is being different, being judged by everyone around you as if you're always doing things wrong. The antagonists are traffic, crowds, aging, moving, etc: basically the existing in society we all have to do. And that's what makes it scary, because it's real.
Not every story worked for me, but reading several in a row always gave me that awkward anxious feeling of being judged and found wanting.
But I'm a bum and gave it four stars because it's hard to enjoy a book that's so bent on driving you a bit insane. It's better taken in bits, but don't wait too long in between or you might not pick it up again.
Reading this in digital was useful to check on whether names had been used in earlier stories, because there's a feeling of interconnectedness throughout the whole book. Still unsure what all the connections are though: maybe I need to think on it. Or Google it haha. (My searching points out that the song at the end is important on understanding who J Harris is, and helped me realize that his appearances throughout the books are part of the strange "horror behind your shoulder" feeling while reading. Very nicely done.)
This is what anxiety feels like. The actual horror in so many of these stories is being different, being judged by everyone around you as if you're always doing things wrong. The antagonists are traffic, crowds, aging, moving, etc: basically the existing in society we all have to do. And that's what makes it scary, because it's real.
Not every story worked for me, but reading several in a row always gave me that awkward anxious feeling of being judged and found wanting.
But I'm a bum and gave it four stars because it's hard to enjoy a book that's so bent on driving you a bit insane. It's better taken in bits, but don't wait too long in between or you might not pick it up again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Classism
There's lots of anxiety and themes that might cause an obsessive flare.