attackrat's reviews
176 reviews

the author captured the rural atmosphere sooo well. but I think this would have been far better from her mom’s perspective. as it stands now the story is shallow, in every aspect except the grief. I found myself rushing through it because I was not that invested. also the author has clearly never been a Girl Scout 😤

lying toxic gay women, climbing, space caves, fungus, and possible hallucinations? yes pls :)

I do think this could have leaned into its own elements of horror a bit more, as I was uncomfortable any time I thought about the situation she was in but not quite horrified. it’s often compared to Annihilation which I can see but it doesn’t quite get there. it has the pieces but doesn’t quite go all the way, which honestly? I didn’t really mind. I just don’t think it should be compared to Annihilation. I loved this book and its atmospheric tension, I loved the characters and how they interacted and changed each other. I just think if you went into it expecting a horror book it might disappoint you. me personally? I was here for the girlies and the caves so I did notttt care

I could not have predicted the extent to which this book would mess me up. With a style that’s equal parts matter-of-fact and artistic, it weaves its metaphor through every page to impressive effect. I can’t even say that I fully understand the true meaning or implications of everything I just read but I loved it and will be rereading later on. 

incredibly sweet and whimsical, I read this when I was a kid and the story is still imprinted in my blood. it’s lyrical in prose and utterly romantic. though I will say the actual romance is few and far between (no complaints from me).

“Fall came late that year as though summer, idle intransigent girl that she was, could not summon the golden strength to rise from her bed along our hills and meadows”

I didn’t expect it to be as sweet as the film but it was— and both have the same peaceful and kind effect on the soul. 

this book  is absolutely devastating. I haven’t cried this much in god knows how long. please take care reading if you’re queer or trans. what a haunting capture of grief and identity 

truly delicious writing, I was absorbed for the entire 800 pages AND I even had to set it down for a while at a time. never lost interest even a little bit. I want there to be a 2 season tv series and an official cookbook based on this story because the food in it changed my whole life 

miserable, bigoted, and unimaginative. this book is throughly uninteresting beyond its  applications of scientific imagination and even those are delivered so dully that it’s impossible to care. 

“she must’ve had a doctorate in prostitution” about one of 2 female characters in the entire book. the other’s story is completely revolved around her having no agency. how creative.

Ursula K. Le Guin wrote circles around this garbage please go read her books instead. 

I wouldn’t recommend the audio book as it’s hard to follow the timeline and the narration is strange, but this book is phenomenal. Real tragedy lies at its heart and that makes it all the more gripping and horrifying. 

I also was not expecting the two-spirit representation, what a delightful perspective. 

I struggle with this rating because Machado makes this book matter in a way that Le Fanu could not. On its own it is an old tale, weakly told. But with historical background and the occasional snarky commentary, it’s turned into a vignette of queer history, love cruelly forgotten and trampled. I want to read those letters, not Le Fanu’s bastardization of them. But I love Machado for what she did. So here we are.