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cowboyjonah's review against another edition
3.5
I liked it... But I barely knew what was going onđI audiobooked this so definitely partially my fault but the skips between fiction/memoir confused me and the fictional story was impactful but felt sooo confusing. I definitely liked the vibes/themes!!
rwmendez01's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
megsk22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
sahy's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
plot wise not super exciting (feel like there was no development in a way, more info was given about the situation but still nothing happened) also lots of diff storylines that didn't really tie in w/ the monster and red book and everything -- sometimes felt like the author was trying to bring back mentions of characters years ago without there being a purpose
BUTTTT just in terms of the writing like BAZOINGA! fabulous writing style and voice and description of horror, author was nawt afraid to get explicit at all
BUTTTT just in terms of the writing like BAZOINGA! fabulous writing style and voice and description of horror, author was nawt afraid to get explicit at all
brandonotis's review against another edition
3.0
Red X is good.
My problem is that it just wasnât my favorite, I believe that David Demchuk is a good author, his abilities are on display in the book, I have no doubts about his skills. For me I found the narrative to just not be to my liking, the bookâs chapters each end and begin with an 8-year gap, and while that is interesting, for me I felt like this made some of the characters feel hollow, I didnât know much about them, and I only saw them for a scene or 2 every eight years. In almost every chapter I found myself having to go back and remind myself of who the characters were because I wasnât able to fully grasp their names, Iâve never really had this happen before but for some reason this format didnât let me connect with any of the characters. Maybe if the segments were a bit longer and we had more time to sit with the characters I wouldnât mind as much, but as the book went on I found myself asking âwhy exactly is THIS moment so important to show?â some of the later chapters donât really feel all that important for the characters from earlier in the book, and after the mystery of who or what the villain is gets told, you get all the information in one go, and then have 100 pages with no intrigue, because there is no character work, and the mystery has been solved.
The thing is, my âproblemsâ with the book are just because I personally donât care for this form of story, Iâd rather have longer chapters between time jumps, and more focus on human characters and stories, rather than a focus on events occurring and mirroring a fairy tale. Its okay that the story is like that, it doesnât make the writing bad or the story less effective, I just personally wouldâve preferred the book if it went in a different direction, which it didnât.
My problem is that it just wasnât my favorite, I believe that David Demchuk is a good author, his abilities are on display in the book, I have no doubts about his skills. For me I found the narrative to just not be to my liking, the bookâs chapters each end and begin with an 8-year gap, and while that is interesting, for me I felt like this made some of the characters feel hollow, I didnât know much about them, and I only saw them for a scene or 2 every eight years. In almost every chapter I found myself having to go back and remind myself of who the characters were because I wasnât able to fully grasp their names, Iâve never really had this happen before but for some reason this format didnât let me connect with any of the characters. Maybe if the segments were a bit longer and we had more time to sit with the characters I wouldnât mind as much, but as the book went on I found myself asking âwhy exactly is THIS moment so important to show?â some of the later chapters donât really feel all that important for the characters from earlier in the book, and after the mystery of who or what the villain is gets told, you get all the information in one go, and then have 100 pages with no intrigue, because there is no character work, and the mystery has been solved.
The thing is, my âproblemsâ with the book are just because I personally donât care for this form of story, Iâd rather have longer chapters between time jumps, and more focus on human characters and stories, rather than a focus on events occurring and mirroring a fairy tale. Its okay that the story is like that, it doesnât make the writing bad or the story less effective, I just personally wouldâve preferred the book if it went in a different direction, which it didnât.
emg25's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I donât usually read horror books but I was intrigued by the premise of this. And I liked it till it took a fantasy turn and then it lost me. But the overarching plot is about those weâve lost to homophobia and the people haunted by their absence.
casparquarius's review
5.0
I think this book is going to haunt me for a long time to be honest, and I love that. the different events across various time periods, the interstitial memoir-esque sections, the characters, the boy. everything about this deeply appealed to me and has not left my brain since I finished it. watching the story unfold, slowly and methodically, was both incredibly fun and deeply unsettling. being gay, and gay for men specifically, and trans, made me feel so much more susceptible to the horrors in the pages in a way that I rarely have before. I really loved it
spuriouseden's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Really liked this overall, though Iâd encourage readers to check content/trigger warnings. I gained perspective on a period of history during which I was young and sheltered, and felt like I could better appreciate the lived experience of people who were in the thick of it.
I listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed the performance, but I also feel like I might have followed better in print, where itâs easier to flip back and forth and refer to earlier scenes. Iâm not saying itâs necessary to do so, but I feel like print would have improved my comprehension.
I listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed the performance, but I also feel like I might have followed better in print, where itâs easier to flip back and forth and refer to earlier scenes. Iâm not saying itâs necessary to do so, but I feel like print would have improved my comprehension.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Torture, Transphobia, Police brutality, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
zeemonster's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kimaiya222's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book! A very interesting and Canadian read! At the end of each chapter the author talks directly to the reader and I was not expecting it to interact with the story! It had me questioning how much is true. A great horror read thatâs from multiple perspectives and time periods. A page turner!