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archaicrobin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Dan and Rhoda are two unlikely allies that end up in a twisted alternate version of the mall after looking for a lost child. Rhoda is an abrasive, drug addict just trying to survive and Dan is a spoiled rich mall employee with no confidence and an overprotective mom. Together they traverse through this dark mall where monsters and disfigured people shop till they drop.
This book is weird, it starts off ok with mediocre first person narratives switching between Rhoda and Dan and the writing does not get better, it gets worse. I know S.L. Grey is a combination of two writers, but the fact that you can tell this was written by two very different people is not a good thing. The characters feel like entirely different people halfway through book and I don’t know if this is because a different author is suddenly writing or if the skill is just nonexistent. Dan and Rhoda are not likable characters to begin with but in the first half of the novel they at least made sense and had a fun dynamic. The second half of the novel they’re completely out of character and make decisions that make literally no sense, and no longer have that fun dynamic. Rhoda suddenly goes from being a rough abrasive adult to being a sweet supportive girlfriend? Dan goes from beating a sensitive book dealer to being a rude, aggressive, and confrontational jerk. There is no reason for this character shift and it’s not explored! They just roughly make statements about how “the mall changed us” ok…..
In addition to the characters being inconsistent and unlikeable the story doesn’t really make any sense either. You find out nothing, you don’t know what the mall is, where it is, how it exists, why it exists, who are the people living there, how do people get there, who is “management”, nothing. The first half of the book you’re at least interested hoping the two unravel these secrets but nothing of the sort happens. Honestly the book should end at the halfway point, because the entire second half of the book was boring, pointless, and just not good.
The last problem I had with this book is the excessive use of the slur r****d. I don’t know if one author just loves it, because the word was not used until halfway through the novel but once one character says it, suddenly it appears every other sentence in regards to everyone and everything and it’s honestly disgraceful. I know some people don’t see a problem with the R slur but personally I do, and I think it’s really distasteful to use it once let alone the 500 times it’s written in this book. Throwing around hurtful terms doesn’t make your book edgy or cool or comedic, it’s just embarrassing and distasteful.
I’m honestly shocked by all the 4 and 5 star reviews after finishing this because not even the horror is done well. I can see maybe enjoying all the out there craziness of the body horror in this book, or the social commentary on consumerism, but still not enough to warrant 4 or 5 stars. This books is poorly written in every aspect and I don’t recommend it at all. I read The Apartment by S.L. Grey and greatly enjoyed that one, but The Mall is just a waste of so many things.
This book is weird, it starts off ok with mediocre first person narratives switching between Rhoda and Dan and the writing does not get better, it gets worse. I know S.L. Grey is a combination of two writers, but the fact that you can tell this was written by two very different people is not a good thing. The characters feel like entirely different people halfway through book and I don’t know if this is because a different author is suddenly writing or if the skill is just nonexistent. Dan and Rhoda are not likable characters to begin with but in the first half of the novel they at least made sense and had a fun dynamic. The second half of the novel they’re completely out of character and make decisions that make literally no sense, and no longer have that fun dynamic. Rhoda suddenly goes from being a rough abrasive adult to being a sweet supportive girlfriend? Dan goes from beating a sensitive book dealer to being a rude, aggressive, and confrontational jerk. There is no reason for this character shift and it’s not explored! They just roughly make statements about how “the mall changed us” ok…..
In addition to the characters being inconsistent and unlikeable the story doesn’t really make any sense either. You find out nothing, you don’t know what the mall is, where it is, how it exists, why it exists, who are the people living there, how do people get there, who is “management”, nothing. The first half of the book you’re at least interested hoping the two unravel these secrets but nothing of the sort happens. Honestly the book should end at the halfway point, because the entire second half of the book was boring, pointless, and just not good.
The last problem I had with this book is the excessive use of the slur r****d. I don’t know if one author just loves it, because the word was not used until halfway through the novel but once one character says it, suddenly it appears every other sentence in regards to everyone and everything and it’s honestly disgraceful. I know some people don’t see a problem with the R slur but personally I do, and I think it’s really distasteful to use it once let alone the 500 times it’s written in this book. Throwing around hurtful terms doesn’t make your book edgy or cool or comedic, it’s just embarrassing and distasteful.
I’m honestly shocked by all the 4 and 5 star reviews after finishing this because not even the horror is done well. I can see maybe enjoying all the out there craziness of the body horror in this book, or the social commentary on consumerism, but still not enough to warrant 4 or 5 stars. This books is poorly written in every aspect and I don’t recommend it at all. I read The Apartment by S.L. Grey and greatly enjoyed that one, but The Mall is just a waste of so many things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism