Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

23 reviews

phoricho's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I initially rated this book 4 stars, but after a couple of months of it living rent-free in my mind, I decided to change that to a 5 star. My original rating was more due to the fact that this book left me not knowing how to feel. It was so different from anything I've ever read, both in content and layout. 

Content-wise, it's a very dark book, and the characters go through numerous traumas. It's not for everyone. Check the trigger warnings.

Layout-wise, there are no chapters. That's unique, but it works with the story. There are two parts, and the POVs are broken up by section breaks. 

Yes, it's a horrifying story, but I thought it was beautifully told, and the characters felt so real. I'm excited to read the rest of the series. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

sarahcrowell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Check trigger warnings before reading. Dark concept but a great book overall.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

beata_maria's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, and Trafficking

Minor: Pedophilia

abbyycadabbyy's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

4.0

        "The carousel’s over now,” he tells her quietly. “This time your family is waiting for you." I don't normally put quotes in my review but damn this on was good.

     This book had me super hooked from the first page. I loved how the book switched from the interview to Maya's time in the garden. The detectives did get on my nerves when they would interrupt her. 

     Maya's character is so great to me. She has been through so much in her life, but every time she has been able to become a better person because of it. Her personality is one I really enjoy from a character. In a dark book like this it's good to have a funny character with a little humor. Her life was horrible, but hopefully her life gets better after this book.

     I kinda feel bad for The Gardener. Yes, he did horrible things that are not justifiable, but I feel like he really did feel like he was giving the butterflies a good life. I HATE AVERY WITH EVERY BONE IN MY BODY. He was such a horrible man. He got what he deserved in the end. 

     I thought the ending was a little weird. I thought that the "plot twist" was really dumb. I am curious about what the other books could be about.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture

Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy

thebiblioboo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

prachidayal's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

• Medium read (6 hours)
• I don't know what to say because I can't figure out what Hutchison's goal was in writing this book. It's so graphic and reads as trauma porn. While it is written well, the shocking descriptions are what carry the book, not the writing. It feels like a YA novel with a desperate attempt to tell a dark story. There are a lot of plot holes (further diminishing the book's structure) with an anticlimactic ending. Why could the 20-something girls not overpower the old man? Why did Sirvat do what she did? Why did Elenor never look up and see Maya, and how was the Gardener willing to take that risk?
  Also, why are we expected to sympathize with Sophia? She stood by while the Gardner kidnapped girls for a decade because she thought she would lose her child to a man who would be in prison (or on death row).
  Lastly, Maya's age on her license was 19 and she was there for 3.5 years which just doesn't add up. I also worry that while some of the book's audience is deeply repulsed by the plot, there might be an audience filled with creeps that enjoy this book for all the wrong reasons. The characters were poorly developed because they just had one dimension (Bliss is the exception.) Maya is supposed to be smart and nonchalant, Avery is just aggressive, and Desmond was written like someone we are supposed to root for despite being so complacent. Also, I get the plan to seduce him into helping them escape, but it seemed like Maya actually likes him, and the other butterflies saw it too. How were they not furious with her? Also, how was Desmond okay with having sex with the same person as his dad and brother? The dialogue also felt forced. One of the major mysteries throughout the book is supposed to be that Maya is hiding something, and the conclusion to that fell flat. Also, she was extremely open to telling her story, so I don't know why the officers were being so pushy. Finally, not only did the book read like it was written by a man, but it also read like a book authored by someone who has a fetish for people of color. It was nauseating to read sentences like "her orange wings contrasted her ebony skin," "her caramel skin," or my favorite, "she was an exquisite creature of Japanese descent."
• I liked Bliss, and the writing (excluding the dialogue) was pretty good.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

hiyageorgie1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I feel the same way about this book as a disgruntled parent feels about their child – I love it to pieces, but I can't bring myself to rant and rave about how good it is, knowing all its flaws.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Violence and Vomit

em_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder

cait's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

juliaaa02's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Abandonment