Scan barcode
beccaburchett's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Racism, Terminal illness, Vomit, Cannibalism, Car accident, and Alcohol
slimshaedy92's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
I have never been one to get emotional over books. Except maybe the Vampire Diaries like a decade ago (don’t ask, I don’t remember much). But Jessica Johns has such a gift for writing grief and connection- human connection, connections of the natural world- that you can’t help but feel emotional for this family. 10/10 I’ll be on the lookout for the next Johns piece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Grief
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
arood's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Grief
queersubtext's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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: Body horror, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Addiction and Cancer
lizard800's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
4.75
Jessica John'sis truly an amazing writer. The way she is able to build a scene and transport the reader is really cool. I could relate to closely to many of the scenes she described (like the aunties all playing cards) and I felt like I literally had to snap out of it when the book continued on because I was so deeply transported back in my memories by the writing.
The book takes a little while to pick up, but when it does you're really in it. I thought the ending was really touching. Definitely reccomend. This book is worth the hype.
The book takes a little while to pick up, but when it does you're really in it. I thought the ending was really touching. Definitely reccomend. This book is worth the hype.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
nikkiferr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death and Blood
Minor: Alcoholism
chrisie's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Favorite book of the year so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Animal death and Injury/Injury detail
One scene of animal deathsmalltowncreepy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-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
Bad Cree is one of the best examples of grief horror I’ve ever read. The slow hike down the trail of family, what it means to be a “bad,” guilt, and loneliness vs being a burden on your loved ones not only added to the character development and dire circumstances Mackenzie is in but also created a sense of realness I couldn’t shake even when I closed the book. The relationships, the descriptions of the people and places, the way Mackenzie described feeling as a member of her family all felt so real – like I was sitting in High Plaines with them, smelling the cooking and wrapping myself in the blanket of their relationships that was both comforting and uncomfortable depending on what was going on.
I loved how this book subverted the plot tool of isolations. If you know anything about writing or dissecting horror, you know that isolating the main character or characters from help or comfort is a huge plot device. It adds to tension, danger, and helps draw the main characters and the antagonist or monster together.
In Bad Cree, the isolation is played with not only physically but internally/emotionally and then done away with completely. Johns holds up isolation and tosses it in the corner showing that it is not only unnecessary for a scary, tension filled plot but the overcoming of isolation rather than succumbing to it can also be part of the horror itself.
In Bad Cree, the isolation is played with not only physically but internally/emotionally and then done away with completely. Johns holds up isolation and tosses it in the corner showing that it is not only unnecessary for a scary, tension filled plot but the overcoming of isolation rather than succumbing to it can also be part of the horror itself.
I also loved the diversity in the book. Not only is the book filled with Indigenous characters by an Indigenous author but many of those characters are queer from Mackenzie’s best nonbinary friend Joli to her bisexual cousin Kassidy. The inclusion of the characters not just in the story but in the lives of the other characters without explanation, preamble, or mention of homophobia or transphobia was not only wonderful to read as a queer person but made it all the more real and comforting even during the difficult parts of the plot.
In all, this is a book the wormed into my heart and will be there a long time.
5 stars. Highly recommend.
5 stars. Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
astridrv's review against another edition
The horror/magical realism felt quite classic (but well executed), the narrative arc quite predictable (and at times frustrating) but I was taken by how much heart there is in the story, how many details about family, grief, solidarity. The characters were so loving and the book is clearly driven by hope and healing.
"What else have we got to do with all this time but get it right?"
Also loved learning some Cree words and the fact that the chapter numbers were written in Cree. I initially picked this book because it is set in Vancouver, but most of it was set in the Prairies. Fortunately the writing translated the setting really well and I was immersed throughout.
"What else have we got to do with all this time but get it right?"
Also loved learning some Cree words and the fact that the chapter numbers were written in Cree. I initially picked this book because it is set in Vancouver, but most of it was set in the Prairies. Fortunately the writing translated the setting really well and I was immersed throughout.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gore, and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism
teddie_valetine98's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, and Alcohol