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persephonefoxx's review against another edition
- 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
“Hell has followed us onto Earth, and I am the monster that has brought it forth“
This is a blood-soaked tale of wrath, revenge, and queer rage. Wrought with pain, body horror, and gore. Bursting at the seams with representation. Add in commentary on religious cults and systematic oppression and you have this story of teens with talons, fangs, and fury.
This book feels like the catharsis of screaming into the abyss. Primal and raw.
Graphic: Gore, Vomit, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Deadnaming, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Death of parent, Blood, Cursing, Death, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, and Child abuse
Minor: Child death, Bullying, and Alcohol
efrancart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The religious trauma was also to the forefront as this was a doomsday cult book. I think that these two trigger warnings should be the biggest out the gate and the author does have a note to the reader at the front I really appreciated.
I also loved the epigraphs before each chapter which really built the world so much fuller for me. Some are very relevant to the genocide happening right now in Palestine. A book I will heartily recommend with alllllll the trigger warnings (almost all of the ones available for selection on this app!)
Graphic: Death, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gore, Child death, Murder, Blood, Vomit, and Body horror
Moderate: Ableism, Transphobia, Grief, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Cursing, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol and Classism
arlingtonchamberofgay's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, War, Transphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Deadnaming, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
praisethee's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Hate crime, Murder, Outing, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Genocide, Gun violence, Death, Blood, Abandonment, Body horror, Torture, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Body shaming, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Child death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Pandemic/Epidemic, and War
3martini's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Deadnaming, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Violence, Child death, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Religious bigotry, Vomit, and Transphobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Cursing, Sexual content, Homophobia, and Domestic abuse
scifi_rat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Prose: 3★
Pace: 4★
Concept/Execution: 5★/4.5★
Characters: 3.75★
Worldbuilding: 4★
Ending: 3.5★
Graphic: Body horror, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Violence, Deadnaming, and Vomit
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Murder, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Self harm, Cursing, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Outing, Physical abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Genocide, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Racism
brynalexa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Dysphoria, Genocide, Deadnaming, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Colonisation, Cursing, Confinement, War, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content, Sexism, and Alcohol
mixmousereads's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Deadnaming, Gore, Medical content, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Child death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Genocide, Vomit, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Violence, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Kidnapping, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
alphabetmafiamember's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Blood, Deadnaming, Death, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Outing, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Homophobia, Grief, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Dysphoria, Death of parent, Cursing, and Confinement
Minor: Drug use, Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Gun violence, and Racism
tigger89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Something that might surprise readers is that the publisher's summary teases a romance that ultimately isn't a major focus. Yeah, Nick's cute and all, but really there's bigger concerns at almost every point in the plot. This definitely isn't your typical YA post-apocalyptic romance, and if that's the primary reason you picked it up you'll probably walk away disappointed.
The author is both trans and autistic, and that really comes out in the plot and character design. Something I picked up on that I thought was clever was the use of masking, with a literal mask being worn(or not) as Benji chose to hide(or not) an aspect of himself. That specific terminology is from the neurodivergent community, but the concept isn't unique and can certainly be applied to gender and sexuality, though usually we refer to it there as "closeting" rather than "masking". But it's fundamentally the same concept, the act of altering your natural behaviors in order to be perceived as "normal".
I would recommend this book to anyone who isn't afraid of blood and cracking bones, loves a good rageful power fantasy, and who finds satisfaction in the idea of reclaiming monsterhood.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Deadnaming, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Blood, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, and Violence