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samohtj'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
I wanted very badly for this book to be good. I am aware of the vast difference of opinion regarding Eric Larocca's work, and I wanted to believe it was all overblown that it couldn't be that bad. (Also, because I got a few of his short story collections on discount, but not enough of a discount for them to suck, knowwhatimean).
Folks, this book was not good. From the first chapters, I was frustrated and disappointed with all kinds of decisions the author was making. The best way I can describe it is Cringe in an unhelpful way. So many times, I paused my audiobook to rant to no-one, or to simply exclaim "Stupid!" to my empty car. Characters constantly took out-of-pocket or ridiculous steps, accomplishing nothing but inching them towards the contrived conclusion on which the author had already decided.
It wasn't just the plot or the characters – the prose pissed me off at many points as well. Metaphors that sound nice but make no sense, bizarre internal tangents that make NO sense, and an incomprehensible confluence of themes that don't seem to have any coherent connection. Is this book about grief? Hubris? Self-hatred? Homophobia? Mommy issues? Impossible to say.
So many things are included that lead nowhere. One entire narrative string is abruptly dry-erased away in the last act, making me feel like I wasted my time, especially since that was the arc with all the graphic homophobia and SA. Add the fact the villain seemed to dress like satanic Willy Wonka while arousing absolutely zero suspicion in this small suburban town IN THE 90s, and the YouTube-anime-dub performance of the narrator, I did not enjoy one thing about this book. Poo.
Folks, this book was not good. From the first chapters, I was frustrated and disappointed with all kinds of decisions the author was making. The best way I can describe it is Cringe in an unhelpful way. So many times, I paused my audiobook to rant to no-one, or to simply exclaim "Stupid!" to my empty car. Characters constantly took out-of-pocket or ridiculous steps, accomplishing nothing but inching them towards the contrived conclusion on which the author had already decided.
It wasn't just the plot or the characters – the prose pissed me off at many points as well. Metaphors that sound nice but make no sense, bizarre internal tangents that make NO sense, and an incomprehensible confluence of themes that don't seem to have any coherent connection. Is this book about grief? Hubris? Self-hatred? Homophobia? Mommy issues? Impossible to say.
So many things are included that lead nowhere. One entire narrative string is abruptly dry-erased away in the last act, making me feel like I wasted my time, especially since that was the arc with all the graphic homophobia and SA. Add the fact the villain seemed to dress like satanic Willy Wonka while arousing absolutely zero suspicion in this small suburban town IN THE 90s, and the YouTube-anime-dub performance of the narrator, I did not enjoy one thing about this book. Poo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Excrement, and Kidnapping
gmv's review against another edition
Not in the mood to have my mind mentally fucked in all the wrong ways.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Rape
ruthypoo2'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? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A relatively large cast of characters but the story is well-managed by only certain POVs lasting throughout the story while others represent a significant point in time event. The story takes place in a town where some of the citizens have gone missing, and the reader gets to know the background of some of those folks, but all the character personalities were unique and memorable, so it’s easy to keep track of who’s who.
It feels like the overriding themes are living with internal turmoil, loss, and guilt, and how so many people struggle with choices of good vs. evil throughout their lives. A reminder that no one is perfect and we all fall down or lose our way, but maybe good has an upper hand most of the time?
A lot if the first part of the book is setting the stage and allowing the reader to see a bit of what’s going on without realizing how much is really at stake in the lives of the two main protagonists, Ghost and Malik. The story is not rushed and moves along at a nice pace. Some characters are written to embody the darkest and ugliest impulses that humans have, but I feel the book has a satisfying conclusion and epilogue.
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration of André Santana. He did a great job portraying a wide range of characteristics that ran from male to female, young to older, and light to dark.
It feels like the overriding themes are living with internal turmoil, loss, and guilt, and how so many people struggle with choices of good vs. evil throughout their lives. A reminder that no one is perfect and we all fall down or lose our way, but maybe good has an upper hand most of the time?
A lot if the first part of the book is setting the stage and allowing the reader to see a bit of what’s going on without realizing how much is really at stake in the lives of the two main protagonists, Ghost and Malik. The story is not rushed and moves along at a nice pace. Some characters are written to embody the darkest and ugliest impulses that humans have, but I feel the book has a satisfying conclusion and epilogue.
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration of André Santana. He did a great job portraying a wide range of characteristics that ran from male to female, young to older, and light to dark.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Medical trauma
emmonsannae's review against another edition
This started as a normal badly written book and turned into something genuinely vile. I normally hate to leave even a bad book unfinished, but I felt a real urge to get this one physically far away from me. I need a shower for my brain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, Excrement, and Religious bigotry
annathechaoticreader's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
I am in absolute awe of this book. It has all of the things I love: literary prose, interesting characters, grief-filled religious themes, queerness, and horrifying & grotesque content. It's one of the most poignant horror novels I've read in a very long time and one that I will be thinking about for a long while. It is absolutely brilliant and I'm just so floored by it, absolutely recommend.
"For Ghost, his body was nothing more than a compost heap - a crude patchwork of abused anatomy that even the most impulsive surrealist wouldn't dare commemorate on canvas. Ghost knew well he was a monster, a horrible mutation handmade by grief." page 19
"For Ghost, his body was nothing more than a compost heap - a crude patchwork of abused anatomy that even the most impulsive surrealist wouldn't dare commemorate on canvas. Ghost knew well he was a monster, a horrible mutation handmade by grief." page 19
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Body horror, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
Minor: Ableism, Child death, and Car accident
autumnrevisited's review against another edition
slow-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? It's complicated
0.5
This is genuinely one of the worst books I have read from an "established," published author. The writing in the book was incredibly clunky with metaphors that not only didn't make sense, but felt like they were written solely for the sake of shock. There were also moments in the book where descriptions and explanations seemed to be entirely missing, with settings and situations coming out of nowhere. The story itself was lackluster, with the secondary main character only contributing the most minor presence in the following "climax." So much of Ghost's character and set up was shallow and unexplained, relying on supernatural nonsense to get the point across.
While I disliked the writing, what bothered me the most about this book was how LaRocca treated their characters. The book claims to be a queer horror novel, but the only part of it that seems genuinely queer is the secondary main character who services only as a conduit for violence. There is not a moment where Malik is happy, only witnessing his husband's hate crime, being kidnapped, sexually and brutally assaulted, and almost murdered. All for being gay. There is no other development to his character other than to have slurs thrown at him and have violence done unto him. Also, the "bad guys" in the story both are also queer or have experienced similar violence. I find it unacceptable and disgusting that LaRocca would take a character that does extreme sexual and physical violence to one of the only POC characters in the book and make their motivation be a past assault from another gay character. Furthermore, giving the main villain AIDS (at least hinting at it) for no reason other than to mention it adds to the image that people with AIDS are violent and dirty.
LaRocca also completely ignores his female characters. They are either stupid, pathetic, or fridged. There is not a moment with a female character where they have any real agency. They are dead to move the male main character's story forward or placed as a helpless damsel in distress in order to be protected.
I purchased and read this book because I heard many good things about LaRocca's other works and the horror they have created. However, after reading this book, I refuse to read anything else LaRocca has written or may write in the future.
While I disliked the writing, what bothered me the most about this book was how LaRocca treated their characters. The book claims to be a queer horror novel, but the only part of it that seems genuinely queer is the secondary main character who services only as a conduit for violence. There is not a moment where Malik is happy, only witnessing his husband's hate crime, being kidnapped, sexually and brutally assaulted, and almost murdered. All for being gay. There is no other development to his character other than to have slurs thrown at him and have violence done unto him. Also, the "bad guys" in the story both are also queer or have experienced similar violence. I find it unacceptable and disgusting that LaRocca would take a character that does extreme sexual and physical violence to one of the only POC characters in the book and make their motivation be a past assault from another gay character. Furthermore, giving the main villain AIDS (at least hinting at it) for no reason other than to mention it adds to the image that people with AIDS are violent and dirty.
LaRocca also completely ignores his female characters. They are either stupid, pathetic, or fridged. There is not a moment with a female character where they have any real agency. They are dead to move the male main character's story forward or placed as a helpless damsel in distress in order to be protected.
I purchased and read this book because I heard many good things about LaRocca's other works and the horror they have created. However, after reading this book, I refuse to read anything else LaRocca has written or may write in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Blood, Excrement, Grief, and Alcohol
binneybooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
zenzi2read's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Torture, Violence, and Excrement
Minor: Child death
hauntedantiqueshop's review against another edition
dark
fast-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
0.5
What an absolute JOKE. I’m truly at a loss with what to say about this unnecessary book but here it goes. Imagine writing horrific sexual assault and then almost idolizing the attacker (calling him his God and seeing how attractive he really is is so fucking disgusting), making your readers that could get through it read it, to then haphazardly slap “don’t worry, God fixed it and they literally don’t even remember it now” at the end. Not to mention the weird ableism sprinkled throughout the book, mixed with utterly unreliable actions by almost every single character. Don’t get me wrong, ACAB all day long. But not a single officer in that department is fully investigating the disappearances of these people all over town or THE KIDNAPPING? The taxi driver is just cool with being an accomplice?? I can’t help but to think Eric LaRocca hates their audience and truly thinks of them as fucking idiots.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, Excrement, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Do you like slurs? Don’t worry, it’s chocked full of the f slur!912jae's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Blood, Excrement, Car accident, and Sexual harassment