littlespookycute's review against another edition
4.0
After reading Talia, I knew I had to read this one and it did not disappoint!! So gory and gross and so many unlikable characters. I’m giving 4 stars cause I would have loved a reasoning behind the tattoo or what Talia was up to.
brutalised's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mandapandemon's review against another edition
5.0
Daniel Volpe, you sick man! I love it!
Quick run down: Billy Silver is not a good guy, not even a decent human being, and that’s not because he’s a junkie, he’s selfish and violent, just a real piece of trash. He loves booze, heroine, and beating his girl friend up on a regular basis.
He meets my girl, Talia, (who has her own book that you should read like now) that needs some practice and pays him to let her tattoo him.
Some cash for a little piece of flesh. (Insert winkface)
miraculously he stops needing heroine. But there’s that saying people trade one habit for another, and let’s say he traded up…. This was a wild ride, dark, twisted, and gross. Absolutely recommend it.
Quick run down: Billy Silver is not a good guy, not even a decent human being, and that’s not because he’s a junkie, he’s selfish and violent, just a real piece of trash. He loves booze, heroine, and beating his girl friend up on a regular basis.
He meets my girl, Talia, (who has her own book that you should read like now) that needs some practice and pays him to let her tattoo him.
Some cash for a little piece of flesh. (Insert winkface)
miraculously he stops needing heroine. But there’s that saying people trade one habit for another, and let’s say he traded up…. This was a wild ride, dark, twisted, and gross. Absolutely recommend it.
midnitebby's review
2.0
2.5 ⭐️
I don’t consider myself a “horror girlie” when it comes to entertainment. I’ve watched the occasional movie and my first true bookish foray into this genre came last year with Paul Tremblay’s Head Full of Ghosts. Then I came across splatterpunk last October and I thought that since I hadn’t been traumatized by my horror reads so far that I was ready for it.
I think Billy Silver will make my third, fourth?, splatterpunk read and I always find it hard to rate these books (or novellas). Do I rate it off how grotesque it was? How much it scared me? The plot? The characters? Like what is the system for rating books like these? Either way, I struggle entirely on how to frame my thoughts and feelings on this genre.
This read was quick and to the point and yet there were details that I would have liked to see. What about Talia, the tattoo, the dreams? I feel like I needed more of this, I could have had a whole backstory and been content. And also I found myself disappointed in his acts of self mutilation, the synopsis made me think he was going to become another Julie from Return of the Living Dead 3, but alas he did not live up to those standards.
I don’t consider myself a “horror girlie” when it comes to entertainment. I’ve watched the occasional movie and my first true bookish foray into this genre came last year with Paul Tremblay’s Head Full of Ghosts. Then I came across splatterpunk last October and I thought that since I hadn’t been traumatized by my horror reads so far that I was ready for it.
I think Billy Silver will make my third, fourth?, splatterpunk read and I always find it hard to rate these books (or novellas). Do I rate it off how grotesque it was? How much it scared me? The plot? The characters? Like what is the system for rating books like these? Either way, I struggle entirely on how to frame my thoughts and feelings on this genre.
This read was quick and to the point and yet there were details that I would have liked to see. What about Talia, the tattoo, the dreams? I feel like I needed more of this, I could have had a whole backstory and been content. And also I found myself disappointed in his acts of self mutilation, the synopsis made me think he was going to become another Julie from Return of the Living Dead 3, but alas he did not live up to those standards.
elle_ette's review
3.0
Billy Silver is an abusive drug addict who gets through life by lying and cheating everyone around him, including his sort-of-girlfriend Jeannie who he regularly physically and mentally abuses, and thinks himself king of the world because he fronts a semi-popular band... until one day he wakes up after a horrendous drug and alcohol fuelled binge and realises that his girlfriend has left him and he's been kicked out of the band for ruining their show.
With no money and a desperate need for his next fix before he begins to suffer the effects of detoxing, Billy finds himself an opportunity to make some quick cash by selling a bit of himself to a practicing tattoo artist named Talia who creates a crisp geometrical design on his upper arm. The next morning when Billy wakes up, the tattoo appears to be completely healed and his life seems to have actively improved; he opts for a real meal and water to wash it down instead of beer, he doesn't crave the hit of any kind of drugs and even goes to bed at a reasonable time, setting his alarm for the morning, but with a strange dream comes the slow creeping urge to self-mutilate and eventually, attack those around him.
I'm in two minds about this book so I've opted to rate it 3 stars, but may come back to this review and amend if I find myself leaning one way or another. I definitely enjoyed it, however there were many aspects to this story that I felt were gruesome for the sake of being gruesome, and not for any other purpose. While I do enjoy Splatterpunk novels, I think a big part of it for me is that beneath the extreme horror there is a lesson, some kind of commentary or observation nestled amid the symbolism. In Billy Silver, I didn't feel that and it all felt a little too much with too little pay-out for my personal taste. Maybe it was just too short to give me what I hoped it would?
I liked the concept though, it's nothing new but I enjoy the way that Volpe writes his characters, although his general writing style does leave a little bit to be desired. There are a lot of stop and start sentences which meant the pacing was a little bit jarring and a few too many grammatical errors for me to completely brush past. This wasn't bad by any means, just a little too superficial for my taste.
With no money and a desperate need for his next fix before he begins to suffer the effects of detoxing, Billy finds himself an opportunity to make some quick cash by selling a bit of himself to a practicing tattoo artist named Talia who creates a crisp geometrical design on his upper arm. The next morning when Billy wakes up, the tattoo appears to be completely healed and his life seems to have actively improved; he opts for a real meal and water to wash it down instead of beer, he doesn't crave the hit of any kind of drugs and even goes to bed at a reasonable time, setting his alarm for the morning, but with a strange dream comes the slow creeping urge to self-mutilate and eventually, attack those around him.
I'm in two minds about this book so I've opted to rate it 3 stars, but may come back to this review and amend if I find myself leaning one way or another. I definitely enjoyed it, however there were many aspects to this story that I felt were gruesome for the sake of being gruesome, and not for any other purpose. While I do enjoy Splatterpunk novels, I think a big part of it for me is that beneath the extreme horror there is a lesson, some kind of commentary or observation nestled amid the symbolism. In Billy Silver, I didn't feel that and it all felt a little too much with too little pay-out for my personal taste. Maybe it was just too short to give me what I hoped it would?
I liked the concept though, it's nothing new but I enjoy the way that Volpe writes his characters, although his general writing style does leave a little bit to be desired. There are a lot of stop and start sentences which meant the pacing was a little bit jarring and a few too many grammatical errors for me to completely brush past. This wasn't bad by any means, just a little too superficial for my taste.
johnlynchbooks's review
4.0
This book is crazy. I don’t want to give anything away that’s not on the cover of the books, so read that, see if it’s for you. This book feels grimy. Reading it felt the way you feel when you watch a Rob zombie flick. I mean that as a compliment, for those that aren’t zombie fans. It just has that hardcore, grimy, disgusting feel about it. Absolutely recommend. I’ll be reading more from Volpe ASAP
ber17's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
evie95's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, Self harm, Excrement, and Vomit
crystallovesbooks's review
5.0
Daniel has done it again, this is the third book I’ve read and it was absolutely incredible. It had me hooked from the beginning and I really enjoyed all the gore. If you’re looking for a quick read with body horror then I would highly recommend checking out this book.