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rmnedder's reviews
87 reviews
Boy Parts by Eliza Clark
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I'm struggling to find the words to describe the way this book made me feel. It's disturbing, it's unsettling, it managed to press a thumb into old bruises. Irina is a wildly unlikeable person, but a fascinating character; the things done to her, and the things she's done, all woven together by her sour attitude and shaky grasp on reality to create one of the most compelling unreliable narrators I've encountered. Boy Parts feels part satire, part psych horror, part exploration; I was disgusted one moment, sad the next, and shocked most of the way through.
Boy Parts is not an easy read. It asks you to grit your teeth through a lot, and it can feel confusing at times. But I found myself surprisingly impacted by this book, by the ending in particular. Read the content warnings on this one.
Boy Parts is not an easy read. It asks you to grit your teeth through a lot, and it can feel confusing at times. But I found myself surprisingly impacted by this book, by the ending in particular. Read the content warnings on this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Racism, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fatphobia and Classism
The Hop by Diana Clarke
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I will admit, I was nervous at first about a book about a sex worker with a "feminist take" on sex work. But I was so pleasantly, over-the-moon surprised with how nuanced and genuine this book's portrayal was of sex work and sex workers! The writing style and format of the book were incredibly clever, and worked really well for the story. All the characters had such clear, unique voices, and their relationships were equally vibrant. They manage to handle some really touchy topics with a lot of grace and tact, and at no point did I feel like things were moving towards cop-outs or stereotypes.
This was such a fun read, and I felt that it held a lot of care for what it was discussing; it showed all sorts of varied, honest perspectives on sex work and autonomy without feeling preachy or like it was condemning it. Well and truly, bravo.
This was such a fun read, and I felt that it held a lot of care for what it was discussing; it showed all sorts of varied, honest perspectives on sex work and autonomy without feeling preachy or like it was condemning it. Well and truly, bravo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Racism and Vomit
Minor: Violence
Let the Right One in by John Ajvide Lindqvist
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What a gorgeous, deeply nauseating book. The shifting perspectives never felt overwhelming or odd; it helped stitch together this really complicated story. The complicated friendship/puppy love/something deeper between Eli and Oskar was really gorgeous to read on the page. This is actually one of the only vampire stories I've ever read that doesn't romanticize vampirism (and don't get me wrong, I do love that); it's not something sensual or erotic, it's a deeply isolating burden. It's seen as and treated like the curse it really is, which is a really refreshing take on vampirism. I only wish it moved faster - the events of the book take place over the course of a matter of days, but with how much happens and how dense it gets, it does drag a little.
To this day, one of my favorite vampire stories. I watched the film when I was younger and still navigating who I was, and Eli's "I am not a boy, I am not a girl, I am nothing" speech has always struck something in me. I'm glad I finally got to know the full story.
To this day, one of my favorite vampire stories. I watched the film when I was younger and still navigating who I was, and Eli's "I am not a boy, I am not a girl, I am nothing" speech has always struck something in me. I'm glad I finally got to know the full story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying and Drug use
Hungry Ghosts by Kevin Jared Hosein
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A brilliant, beautiful, gut-wrenching tapestry of a story. Hosein's prose is exquisite--legitimately some of the best stylized writing I have encountered in a long while! All of the main cast of characters are well-developed and complex, spanning the gamut from detestable to pitiable to genuinely likeable. There are a lot of moving parts in this story, and the author manages to keep everything in the air and moving along without too much hassle, which is impressive in a story of this magnitude and scale. I do wish, though, that there were some threads that were tied off more thoroughly or explored a little further; there was so much happening that I felt at times that things were getting a little lost in the shuffle, but never egregiously so! I did also find that the story moved a little slow at times, but that's more of a preferential thing than anything else.
Overall this was was a gorgeous and tragic story about how our pasts haunt us--and this book will haunt me for some time to come. Read the content warnings - this one gets intense.
Overall this was was a gorgeous and tragic story about how our pasts haunt us--and this book will haunt me for some time to come. Read the content warnings - this one gets intense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Racism, Sexual assault, Grief, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Vomit, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Colonisation
The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.75
Lee Mandelo sure knows how to write fantastic Southern Gothics! This was scary, sexy, and unnerving from start to finish. The love for queer history is so clear in this story, and it's such a joy. It's incredibly atmospheric, the prose is razor sharp and super tight, and the main character is so well-written and complicated. I only wish there was more; there were details I wish were expanded upon or backstory I wish we got to learn more of (Leslie's past seems so interesting), but to me, that desire for more is a hallmark of a good story.
It's unsettling, it's erotic, it's everything I could ask for in a queer horror novella. Read the content warnings on this one. It gets intense.
It's unsettling, it's erotic, it's everything I could ask for in a queer horror novella. Read the content warnings on this one. It gets intense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Medical content, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was such a ride, and I loved every moment of it! Such a deeply atmospheric read—the world building is solid and the intrigue draws you in from the very beginning and doesn't let you go. While the human characters feel a little plain (aside from the narrator), Area X is honestly its own character, and that more than makes up for it. I was left with so many questions, and I didn't necessarily mind.
What an exquisite blend of sci-fi, environmental horror, and cosmic horror! Very excited to see where the next two books go. Read the content warnings.
What an exquisite blend of sci-fi, environmental horror, and cosmic horror! Very excited to see where the next two books go. Read the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Animal death, Suicide, and Murder
Iep Jāltok: Poems from a Marshallese Daughter by Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
I'm not usually a poetry person, but I really enjoyed this collection! It was informative and compelling; it had its moments of profundity and levity hand in hand.
Innards: Stories by Magogodi oaMphela Makhene
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Innards was a rich and compelling anthology! I'm a sucker for interconnected stories, and I really enjoyed the way all these stories and their people wove in and out of each other. The narrative diversity across all the stories was great; every story felt different and the variety of tones and narrators and styles just brought everything together. I will admit I felt a bit on the outside at times--there are cultural allusions and text in other languages included that are everyday for these characters, but not necessarily for us as readers--but I think it works for an anthology about the horrors of apartheid.
I greatly enjoyed this book and the wide range of deeply impactful stories it presented. Read the content warnings - this one is intense.
I greatly enjoyed this book and the wide range of deeply impactful stories it presented. Read the content warnings - this one is intense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Sexual content, Slavery, Pregnancy, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Hotel World by Ali Smith
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.75
Hotel World was an absolutely gorgeous, character-centered reflection on the big picture and the smallest details of daily life. The prose was inventive, and the way its style changed between characters was masterful--from whimsical to plain, past to present to future, sturdy to disorienting--and made things feel surprisingly intimate. Each character was well-developed (even in the short space of their vignette of life) and the way their stories intertwined felt very natural. The way Smith played with scale was wonderful; everything was given its attention, from the smallest speck of dust to the broadest view of the city, and it was wonderful to get swallowed up in it all.
I found myself deeply moved by this book and all its eccentricities. What a gorgeous and profound examination of grief and life. Read the content warnings on this one.
I found myself deeply moved by this book and all its eccentricities. What a gorgeous and profound examination of grief and life. Read the content warnings on this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Death
Moderate: Ableism, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, and Classism
Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I can absolutely see why Notes of a Crocodile is a queer cult classic. It's deeply introspective, cutting and emotional and surprisingly funny at times. Miaojin's prose is so interesting in its construction, though I do feel like the translation made things feel a bit clunkier than they were intended to be. All of her characters feel so real; they remind me of the real, strange, traumatized queer kids I knew (and was) in college. The crocodile metaphor is also such a striking through-line in the story.
There were moments where I felt a little confused--I was unsure what exactly was happening, or who was speaking, or when we were--but I didn't hate it; this book has nailed the disorientation that comes with self-discovery and interrogating your own queerness, so I was okay with being confused a bit.
This book was bittersweet from cover to cover. It left me feeling like a raw nerve.
There were moments where I felt a little confused--I was unsure what exactly was happening, or who was speaking, or when we were--but I didn't hate it; this book has nailed the disorientation that comes with self-discovery and interrogating your own queerness, so I was okay with being confused a bit.
This book was bittersweet from cover to cover. It left me feeling like a raw nerve.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit