miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Very gorey and kinda gross but really well written
‘Even through the walls of the room, the surgeon could feel the pressure of the heavy sky, and of everything beyond it.’
‘Why was it so difficult for him to express true gratitude, to speak freely, perhaps even let his eyes water at this earnestness?’
‘Perhaps that was why one died: so that one could finally fathom death.’
‘Somehow the prospect of the afterlife seemed to cause the surgeon less distress than he felt it should. Perhaps if he were less drained, the ghastliness of it might have overwhelmed him. But now, in this little room, surrounded by the apparatus of this mortal world, one of which was a prepared bed, the afterlife seemed like a distant calamity, to be confronted at a later, mercifully unspecified, date.’
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Body horror, Medical content, Death, Child death, Pregnancy, Blood, Death of parent, Gore, and Grief
dasha_musa's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This was a dark and eerie book with literally gut wrenching content at times -- I've watched surgery in real life and will be going into the medical field, but the descriptions of operating on undead flesh were just not it for me (I don't think the body horror added as much to the story as it intended to). This book feels like it's simmering and simmering but it never reaches a boil. There wasn't enough drama and substance to the characters for me and I felt too disconnected (not enough to anchor the commentary/criticism on institutional corruption, morality, etc. for it to feel robust to the reader). The concept is very cool but I am not satisfied with the execution of it and the payoff was not there in the end. I was hoping the book would leave me reflecting in a pensive stupor but it missed the mark on impact.
I saw a different review in which someone suggested that perhaps this would have been better as a short story and I think that I agree.
I saw a different review in which someone suggested that perhaps this would have been better as a short story and I think that I agree.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, and Medical content
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Murder and Pregnancy
astroem's review
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Honestly, one of my favourite things about the book is how it never refers to any of the characters by name, they all have epithets that describe their occupation, age or status in society. I greatly enjoyed the references to Hindu mythology woven throughout the story as well as the philosophical explorations mixed with the medical thriller-esque writing of the medical scenes. The ending was a little odd, but it fit perfectly with the themes of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Medical content
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, and Grief
Minor: Sexual violence
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