leoimj's reviews
22 reviews

Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

i did enjoy this book, it's a light read despite its rather heavy themes i finished it mostly in one day. It approaches the theme of death in an interesting way and personifies her (and the other entities mentioned) in a unique way which is great considering how done to death (ironically) personifying death is. 

 the other things it approaches are in my opinion done so in a boring way and very same note. Jack the ripper was a black woman, but the implications of that aren't explored it's just kind of out there like a "bet you didn't think this was an option". There's interesting stuff to be done with that concept but just throwing it into this book when it doesn't compliment the central themes is a weird choice. there's lots if moments like this.

That's not to say the book handles sexism or racism poorly or in a juvenile way. I know the author is an essayist and that definitely comes across in the way she talks about those themes in this book. There's long sections of prose that are very interesting to read and approach these issues from a clearly educated point of view. I would love to read the author write more about this I just think the particular way she writes about them in this book would be more at home in an essay than in a narrative book. 

That's true for a lot of this book which is disappointing because the narrative is interesting. The narrator, Wolf, is unreliable and incredibly relatable. Their interactions with Mrs Death and struggles around that are wonderfully written and presented in such a way that is open to interpretation but not indecipherable which some books that strive for this vibe fall into .

I struggled to get into this book because so much of the opening is long sections lamenting death. the later sections are much more readable and emotional because they feel earned, once you know Wolf and Mrs Death they make sense coming from their characters.

The other thing is the poems. The early ones are boring and nothing special but the last section is entirely poetry and it's amazing. Then the book just ends. A little anticlimactic and honestly i wish we'd seen more of Life and maybe more with her and Wolf but whatever. This sounds very complainy but I do recommend this book, if you want a light read and interesting perspective on life death and the intersection of misogyny and racism this is a must read 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and War

Dead Men (Libros de Inferno: Book I) by John C. Foster

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

this may actually be the worst book i've read, just not just this year but ever. I did briefly consider DNFing it (when i was roughly 40 pages in and two people had already pissed themself) but decided it had just enough interesting elements to keep me going. It does, tbf, have some good bits. I can see why horror fans would enjoy parts of this book as i myself did but there are much more glaring mistakes.

First of all the prose is janky at times and the author loves to throw in a big word that doesn't fit the flow the paragraph. There are also multiple grammar mistakes that an editor should have pointed out. The story is difficult to understand at times and certain scenes are completely unfollowable. Characters actions and important story beats are continually under communicated and at a certain point i stopped trying to fully understand the plot because too much of it is random bullshit. There's also things like having a character named Frank in a scene with one called Frankenstein which causes unnecessary confusion. It's not all bad, every now and then there's a line that is quite good and might be at home in a better book. There is clear potential in the author but this book doesn't always reach it. 

The overall plot is interesting though i do feel like not enough of it was explored or explained in this book, i know there's plans for other parts but it very much feels like the author is saving the good bits for later. I was interested to find out what would happen next and the pacing of the story is well done. Again where it fails is not explaining itself well enough since things like the slaughterhouse could have been really interesting if the lore behind it and what the characters had actually done while there was better communicated. The ending does feel anticlimactic as many of the characters in the finale are introduced in the third act and their place in the story isn't earned. I also feel like a final confrontation was needed since the book just kind of ends and the characters just leave without much difficulty. 

The characters are really where this book shines since most of the cast are really interesting and unique characters. The dead men each have something fun going on and are deranged in their own way. Hoodoo girl is incredibly interesting and I will say her arc is probably the best done since she gets her climatic confrontation and a happy ending. I do feel like she didn't seem like a 12 year old girl infact i assumed she was an adult women until her age was mentioned, a better authors would have communicated this through the narrative voice. you can clearly see that the author has interesting and fun ideas for horror characters and knows how to introduce concepts well, the Ghoul and his cannibalistic needs are communicated well with only a few sentences acknowledging them. if only the same care was put into describing scenes and action the book would really shine. 

Another issue i do have is with the treatment of Spike and the other female characters. There isn't a female character in this book who doesn't experience rape. I do think rape can be included in narratives but i think it needs to be handled with care. Having your a character dream she's being raped by corn only to wake up and realise she's actually being raped be a man isn't the way to do that. There is a lot of graphic violence in these books and i know there's plenty of people who would view the rape scenes as just part of that but i don't agree with that representation of rape and feel it needs to be handled with more significance. There's also something to be said with how the sexual elements of the horror are only present with the female characters. Also using rape as a metaphor isn't great, the water scene is very heavy handed. The audience can get from the fact that spike is naked and being nosed down that she is being violated and her bodily automobiles is being taken from her without constant references to rape. The scene would have been more impactful that way too. 

There's also the character Lump who is a black disabled man who is, by the perspective character of his chapters, considered less than human and often mistreated. It is clear that the root of his mistreatment is ableism and the audience isn't meant to side with prejudice but this is handled incredibly poorly. 

Again, there is stuff i enjoyed in this book, just enough to keep me going but i would not recommend it to anyone. I do hope the author keeps writing, he has clear potential but there are a view things to work out. For a debut some of the issues are understandable, others are not. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

very much a gore book, lots of references to rape and sexual assault including rape and attempted rape scenes, forced pregnancies and more.

Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

literally the best book i've ever read. i finished it and just had to cry it hits in so many different ways. definitely my favourite discworld book so far and a strong contender for favourite book ever. Death is such an interesting character and the way a concept like death is turned into a relatable and hugely human character is genius. There's a reason discworld death is so iconic and i see it now. 

Demon Road by Derek Landy

adventurous dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

i really wanted to love this book the way i love the skulduggery pleasant series and going in with those expectations might be why i feel disappointed despite very much enjoying most of this book. 

the world building is interesting, i really enjoyed the characters (Amber and Milo in particular) and the plot is gripping. I did love a lot of this book and do plan on reading the others but im not desperate to find out what happens next the way i was with SP.

there's a couple things that bothered me. The countdown, the thing that is the heart of the suspense of the book is a chekovs gun that never goes off. it's set up, Amber is constantly checking it then in the final confrontation it's not important at all they may as well have had all the time in the world and kept the parents as the driving force for pacing. The ending itself is way too busy anyway. Too much is happening and your attention is split in too many ways, stuff just keeps happening and you've barely processed what you've just read. Landy often bites off more than he can chew in this way.

i have other smaller grips like Milo's identity as the Ghost of the highway or whatever should have had a better reveal, having Glen successfully guess it ruined it. IMO he should have been on the right path but wrong so there's still something for Milo to reveal. Also the car stuff was a little ehhh I liked it, Milo had a weird relationship with his car which is fun. Hoping it gets more development/revealed in other instalments.

also Imedla deserved better! 

i do really fuck with the cannibalism 

The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Took longer to grip me than the others in the series but one it starts going it GOES! McFadden can write a twist like a mother fucker and this book is no different, it shocked me the most out of the three. So good. Literally read most of it in one sitting because i just had to get to the end. 
It ties everything up really nicely Id be happy if this was the last Housemaids book, if there is a forth id want a 2.5 set before this one that explores what Enzo and Millie did while working with Benny. He's such a fun character and didn't get enough page time! Classic good cop in a bad system, grizzled and willing to bend the rules.

I genuinely didn't see the Ada twist coming at all! McFadden puts so much information in her books that it overwhelms you. it's needed because you know a twist is coming and when there's a bunch of factors your remembering it's harder to guess at what could happen accurately. But she pulls it all together in the the third act, even with the Housemaid-patented midway twist that completely changes the way. you view everything else so fair

also bringing back Cecelia was such a move! such a good callback and a great way to bring the series full circle

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

dark mysterious 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

3.5

Mort by Terry Pratchett

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi

dark informative slow-paced

4.0

it's very raw and honest she talks about stuff i couldn't imagine anyone admitting to. it's a very interesting book especially if your interested in mental health and sexuality 

The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden

dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

So good?? not really the type of book I go for but i absolutely tore through it. The main characters internal dialogue is so good, reminds me of katniss's in the hunger games weirdly? they have the same dry wit and observe people in a similar way. 

There are lots of twists down to the last page and they make you rethink everything you've read so far and put it all back in the right places. An interesting, intense read definitely recommend 

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Loved this! if you read the colour of magic and was put off but the hard to follow plot then don't give up on discworld! this book has all the charm, lovably characters and funny dialogue of the first but is much easier to understand. It also has a much better plot (eg: one that exists outside of stuff happening to the characters) and continues to build the wonderful world of the disc :)