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hydecircus's reviews
53 reviews
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
What tries to be a modern House of Leaves with a unique and interesting setting is unfortunately bogged down by boring characters and a predictable plot. The setting and graphic design within the book itself makes up for some of this, but I still don't feel like it was ever able to move past its gimmick into something more meaningful.
Be Kind, My Neighbor by Yugo Limbo
dark
funny
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Definitely feels like the middle book in a trilogy but I can't exactly hold that against it when it is
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I've never read a book overflowing with this much love before
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'll admit that as far as excuses go "it's not gay if hes not another man and is just my self destructive impulses personified as my idealized self " is pretty good. But at some point I think you have to admit that even with that context whatever is going on here is pretty undeniably gay.
Burning Butch by R/B Mertz
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Drug use, Transphobia, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I mean obviously it's hard to rate a book like this without either sounding completely insane or completely ignoring its cultural impact and message. Trying to rate it on a technical level, it's a genuinely great read, but a very difficult one. One of the only books I've ever read to leave me genuinely sick to my stomach in some scenes. A lot of reading it is just going "oh I understand why that wasn't in the film", either because its so graphic it would just be completely impossible film/get approved for film, or because its just so downright boring. You don't go into this book expecting just how many clothing and product and music descriptions there are going to be. And the weird part is -- it really does work! Get through the endless brand names and pages of graphically described rape and you come to an ending that punches you directly in the gut, somehow everything that came before leading up to it perfectly. I don't mean the actual, last scene (which in the flim serves as one of the first scenes), I mean around page 349 (in my copy), when the tense changes from first person to third. You've known Patrick was an unreliable narrator basically all along, but nothing cements it quite like him completely dissociatibg from himself, in the worst moment of his life, becoming another character rather than the protagonist, and then, when he recovers, shifting seamlessly back into first person. It's not a book I'd recommend without reading the content warnings, and even then I might suggest watching the film first considering just how much nastier the book is. Even so, I'm glad I read it and I think if you can handle the subject matter you should give it a go, especially if you enjoy unreliable narrators.
EDIT: ok honestly after reflecting a bit i think its just one scene that is like. really bad and i probably just shouldve have read it while eating and you guys would probably be fine 👍 i think its better than the film but maybe the film makes the message more accessible also. still rotating this book around in my head maybe ill change my mind on this later
EDIT: ok honestly after reflecting a bit i think its just one scene that is like. really bad and i probably just shouldve have read it while eating and you guys would probably be fine 👍 i think its better than the film but maybe the film makes the message more accessible also. still rotating this book around in my head maybe ill change my mind on this later
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Abortion
Mr. Humble and Dr. Butcher: A Monkey's Head, the Pope's Neuroscientist, and the Quest to Transplant the Soul by Brandy Schillace
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
The true story of one of the most fascinating men to have ever lived. I find myself finishing this book and growing a desperate desire to go into medicine, to complete what Robert White wasn't able to in his lifetime. And after that find a way to resurrect him, just to let him know that his legacy lives on. The most unexpected part of the story was just how right he was. You hear about his expirements only in the most sensationalist contexts: "Look at what this crazy doctor did to monkeys in the 70s!" You go into a book like this expecting someone almost cartoonishly evil and completely lacking in care for others, and come away from it mourning that he never got to complete his ultimate goal. Or maybe thats just what I, as another Frankenstein fanatic, took away from it. Either way, the trip through this particular era of American medical history is endlessly interesting to read about. The half star off is for a bit of a slow start, but once it picks up it doesn't ever stop or slow down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death