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frantomlimb's review against another edition
4.0
This is a really difficult one to review, this book meant an awful lot to me when I was a teenager. I have such vivid memories of reading it alone in my room and at school when I was around 14 or 15 years old and it was unlike anything I had ever read at the time. I think it was the first "grown up" book I'd ever read and signified my turning away from children's literature. Revisiting it was something I'd been meaning to do for years and an online horror book-club I've joined we're doing it which gave me the perfect excuse to finally read it again and hopefully have a deeper understanding of the content and oh boy.
Though this was definitely something I shouldn't have been reading at such a young age (mad respect for my parents for never censoring what I read) this also feels like something that only a teenager could find deep and meaningful. About halfway through reading the physical copy, still got the one I "borrowed" from my dad's library, I felt myself struggling a little and switched to the audiobook and kind of switched back and forth between the two which I highly recommend for fellow slow readers.
I will still always have a very special place in my heart for this book and the impact it had on me as a lonely little goth girl but I couldn't help myself from rolling my eyes quite often at some of the more purple prose musings about the darkness and sorrow and suffering etc. Most of this comes from Nothing, I can tell I'm getting old when I want to tell the teenagers in books to get a grip, and even more so when I want to say it to the 20 somethings.
There's some incredibly evocative and visceral language used at times and some quite poetic turns of phrase very occasionally but I think the perfect age to read this might be 19, which I think might be how old the author was when this was written. I might not ever read this again but I remember Exquisite Corpse being a lot better and more exciting so I'm keen to revisit that one. I'll give this a 3 and a half but bump it up to a 4 for nostalgia sake.
Though this was definitely something I shouldn't have been reading at such a young age (mad respect for my parents for never censoring what I read) this also feels like something that only a teenager could find deep and meaningful. About halfway through reading the physical copy, still got the one I "borrowed" from my dad's library, I felt myself struggling a little and switched to the audiobook and kind of switched back and forth between the two which I highly recommend for fellow slow readers.
I will still always have a very special place in my heart for this book and the impact it had on me as a lonely little goth girl but I couldn't help myself from rolling my eyes quite often at some of the more purple prose musings about the darkness and sorrow and suffering etc. Most of this comes from Nothing, I can tell I'm getting old when I want to tell the teenagers in books to get a grip, and even more so when I want to say it to the 20 somethings.
There's some incredibly evocative and visceral language used at times and some quite poetic turns of phrase very occasionally but I think the perfect age to read this might be 19, which I think might be how old the author was when this was written. I might not ever read this again but I remember Exquisite Corpse being a lot better and more exciting so I'm keen to revisit that one. I'll give this a 3 and a half but bump it up to a 4 for nostalgia sake.
francisabernathyscoatpocket's review against another edition
2.0
Look… I really really love this author and I LOVE his books. But, in this book I really do think the author just wanted to see what he could get away with.
Its not that I think the taboo parts are distasteful, I love it in Drawing Blood and Exquisite Corpse, but here it’s just done so unnecessarily where it’s not needed for plot or anything and it’s not the main point of the book.
To be fair I dont even know what the aim of the book even was… it’s unclear and winding. I really do love the authors writing though, so it hurts to not like this book as much as I wish I did. I also cannot believe that the only named women in the whole book only served to be impregnated and die. It’s not like think that all books need strong female characters or something but when every woman in this book, with a name, has this happen to her it’s a bit weird.
OVERALL: i’m really sad that I don’t like this book because I love this author
Its not that I think the taboo parts are distasteful, I love it in Drawing Blood and Exquisite Corpse, but here it’s just done so unnecessarily where it’s not needed for plot or anything and it’s not the main point of the book.
To be fair I dont even know what the aim of the book even was… it’s unclear and winding. I really do love the authors writing though, so it hurts to not like this book as much as I wish I did. I also cannot believe that the only named women in the whole book only served to be impregnated and die. It’s not like think that all books need strong female characters or something but when every woman in this book, with a name, has this happen to her it’s a bit weird.
OVERALL: i’m really sad that I don’t like this book because I love this author
jackiesspookyshelf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Rape, and Blood
Minor: Abortion
ezvsreality's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
struggling to find anything positive to say… this was hot garbage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Racial slurs
itcamefromthepage's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I know this goodreads review will ensure my instant expelling from any Gothic club I try to enter but for some reason this one REALLY did not work for me.
The other Billy Martin books I read, like Exquisite Corpse and Drawing Blood were both 5 star reads for me, I loved every page. This one has the same dark subject matter, beautiful writing, and lens upon the darker elements of the world we live in...but I think it handles them pretty poorly.
There is a lot of underage predation by these vampires which you think for the first half of the book is the crux of the story, however by the end it's very lightly touched upon, which is surprising and disappointing.
The characters in this book are really not fun to follow. I'm all for a reprehensible main character but the book is really written in a way that you're supposed to at least in some regard empathize with Steve WHO I absolutely despised. The vampires are not fun, they are more hedonistic man children which at least was done intentionally, but it made them aren't to enjoy following. Especially when even the more sedate old school vampire is instantly fawning over children. The one female character is treated extremely poorly.
I did really like the character of Ghost though, and the other weirder moisture vampires near the finale were rad.
I am such an easy sell for vampires so me disliking this one so much hurts my heart but alas tis how I feel.
The other Billy Martin books I read, like Exquisite Corpse and Drawing Blood were both 5 star reads for me, I loved every page. This one has the same dark subject matter, beautiful writing, and lens upon the darker elements of the world we live in...but I think it handles them pretty poorly.
There is a lot of underage predation by these vampires which you think for the first half of the book is the crux of the story, however by the end it's very lightly touched upon, which is surprising and disappointing.
The characters in this book are really not fun to follow. I'm all for a reprehensible main character but the book is really written in a way that you're supposed to at least in some regard empathize with Steve WHO I absolutely despised. The vampires are not fun, they are more hedonistic man children which at least was done intentionally, but it made them aren't to enjoy following. Especially when even the more sedate old school vampire is instantly fawning over children. The one female character is treated extremely poorly.
I did really like the character of Ghost though, and the other weirder moisture vampires near the finale were rad.
I am such an easy sell for vampires so me disliking this one so much hurts my heart but alas tis how I feel.
strawbeehouse's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Oh my god. Im normal. Im very normal
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Rape, and Sexual assault
kittykitcat's review against another edition
5.0
There’s not much, I feel, that I can say about this book that hasn’t been said already. However, I want to express how much I loved it from beginning to end, because there aren’t many books that wear goth culture in its sleeve like this (or maybe I just suck at finding them).
The characters, in my opinion, are this book’s strongest feature. It’s easy to root for Nothing, especially if you’ve ever felt like the world’s just not made for you, but I also found Steve and Ghost’s bromance quite endearing (even if Steve is a total asshole). A part of me wishes I’d have found this during my angsty teen years, but at the same time, reading it now allows me to have a broader appreciation of it other than being able to go, “Look at me, my vampires don’t shine, they are edgy, incestuous gothlings.”
Anyway… does anybody know if this is in the same universe as Exquisite Corpse? I’m genuinely curious about whether little Nothing was out there in New Orleans with his horn-dog besties, while Andrew and Jay were… well, you know.
The characters, in my opinion, are this book’s strongest feature. It’s easy to root for Nothing, especially if you’ve ever felt like the world’s just not made for you, but I also found Steve and Ghost’s bromance quite endearing (even if Steve is a total asshole). A part of me wishes I’d have found this during my angsty teen years, but at the same time, reading it now allows me to have a broader appreciation of it other than being able to go, “Look at me, my vampires don’t shine, they are edgy, incestuous gothlings.”
Anyway… does anybody know if this is in the same universe as Exquisite Corpse? I’m genuinely curious about whether little Nothing was out there in New Orleans with his horn-dog besties, while Andrew and Jay were… well, you know.
rydia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
soetkinn's review against another edition
DNF at page 190. Idk i feel like this book just,,,does too much gore n stuff. Also the CONSTANT talk abt sh and sewerslide is just getting too triggering ig ??? I did like the plot but im just SO bored n sick of this book rn me thinks. I think i’ll continue reading this in abt half a year