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imaginary_space's Reviews (246)
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you read it, read the author's notes at the end! (After reading the book, because spoilers.) He talks about his process of writing My Heart is a Chainsaw and it's very informative.
This book hit me harder the second time around. Probably because, as is often the case, the first time I was too busy trying to keep up with the story. This time I could appreciate all the little nuances, the hints and the little moments of foreshadowing so much more. And for me, it's all those layers that make this book so good.
When I first read My Heart is a Chainsaw, the revelation about Jade in the middle of the book took me completely by surprise, I had not seen it coming at all. I found it shocking and it made me take a long, hard look at my privilege.
The second time, I suddenly realised why I hadn't seen it coming. Because in many ways I was Jade at that age, so her inner monologue and her behaviour seemed completely normal to me. Which is amazing because my circumstances growing up were very different from Jade's, and our experiences weren't even the same, just similar enough that we reacted in very similar ways.
So, yeah, it fucked me up. Thank you, SGJ. (I don't mean that ironically. I try to read diverse stories, not only because I find it a more interesting experience, but also to actively learn about lived realities different from my own, and to be a better educated citizen of Earth. Which is why I like my horror mixed with a good dose of real world horror).
The fact that Stephen Graham Jones wrote a character that I, a person from a very different background on the other side of the world, could identify with so much that I didn't see the obvious proves two things:
This book hit me harder the second time around. Probably because, as is often the case, the first time I was too busy trying to keep up with the story. This time I could appreciate all the little nuances, the hints and the little moments of foreshadowing so much more. And for me, it's all those layers that make this book so good.
When I first read My Heart is a Chainsaw, the revelation about Jade in the middle of the book took me completely by surprise, I had not seen it coming at all. I found it shocking and it made me take a long, hard look at my privilege.
The second time, I suddenly realised why I hadn't seen it coming. Because in many ways I was Jade at that age, so her inner monologue and her behaviour seemed completely normal to me. Which is amazing because my circumstances growing up were very different from Jade's, and our experiences weren't even the same, just similar enough that we reacted in very similar ways.
So, yeah, it fucked me up. Thank you, SGJ. (I don't mean that ironically. I try to read diverse stories, not only because I find it a more interesting experience, but also to actively learn about lived realities different from my own, and to be a better educated citizen of Earth. Which is why I like my horror mixed with a good dose of real world horror).
The fact that Stephen Graham Jones wrote a character that I, a person from a very different background on the other side of the world, could identify with so much that I didn't see the obvious proves two things:
- He is a really good writer.
- Adult men can write believable teenage girls if they just write them as people and not try to write them as "teenage girls(TM)". Thanks for that too. Yes, I too am sad that the bar is so low.
My teenage feelings aside, there's more I like about this book:
- The story is multi-dimensional, there's a whole mythology around Proofrock and Indian Lake that feels very much alive - an abandoned camp, a creepy local legend, real past tragedies, things that happened in the past that people don't want to talk about... it feels like a real place and it gives the story so many layers.
- Also, I just love a
creepy little girl , I'm biased like that. - I like an unreliable narrator, so it's refreshing and interesting for me to see the story through Jade's eyes and only her eyes.
- SGJ is a fan of "show, don't tell" and I really appreciate that. In general, his writing style is right up my alley, which is extremely important in horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Self harm
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
🦇🦇🦇🦇 4/5 underground-dwelling vampires
"He gets away with it because he's strong."
"This is the story of mankind."
"I thought you were going to be a priest at one point."
"Yes. But then I read the newspaper."
I love a good vampire horror, and Christopher Buehlman delivered. I wasn't sure if I was going to give it 3 or 4 stars until the end, which pushed it firmly to 4 stars.
There's a lot to like about this book:
- The whole world-building around the vampires, how they work as a species, and (how they live in) the tunnels creates a great atmosphere from the start.
- The characters are very flawed and lovable
- Cvetko.
- Unreliable narrator.
- The creepy kids are creepy and cute.
- The stakes are there and very real.
- The beautiful scenes of real horror and tragedy in between, I absolutely loved them.
- The ending really elevates the story.
Why I didn't give it 5 stars:
- Even though I liked the ending, it felt a little like the author
wasn't sure which ending would be best received by his audience and decided to offer all of them instead, putting the responsibility of whether you liked it or not on the reader. . - I wasn't able to make a strong emotional connection with the narrator, which may be different if I read it again in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, Classism
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've heard and read so many different things about this book, I was excited to get into it - and it didn't disappoint!
If you don't like splatter, gore and brutality, this book is not for you. But if you don't mind those things, you're in for an engaging story that has a lot to say about our modern world, some biting social commentary, a bit of satire, with interesting characters who all feel authentic and real, who are flawed and learn and sometimes also don't. Felker-Martin has a lot to say and she says it in a unique voice.
I'm not sure if I am giving this book 4 or 5 stars, which usually means I should have eye-read it (in which case it would have been 5 stars) and not listened to it (in which case it gets 4 stars).
If you don't like splatter, gore and brutality, this book is not for you. But if you don't mind those things, you're in for an engaging story that has a lot to say about our modern world, some biting social commentary, a bit of satire, with interesting characters who all feel authentic and real, who are flawed and learn and sometimes also don't. Felker-Martin has a lot to say and she says it in a unique voice.
I'm not sure if I am giving this book 4 or 5 stars, which usually means I should have eye-read it (in which case it would have been 5 stars) and not listened to it (in which case it gets 4 stars).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Honestly, I'm not sure what I am rating this book. I have to reread 'My Heart is a Chainsaw' and then read 'Don't Fear the Reaper' right after that to really decide - which is what I'm going to do.
But I did like it, just a little less than Chainsaw, so I'll stick with that for the time being.
But I did like it, just a little less than Chainsaw, so I'll stick with that for the time being.
dark
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a fun enough creature feature, I liked the overall story, the mermaids and the research the author clearly did. It felt more 'real', in a way, than other books.
It was a little too long, though, and contained too many POV switches for me, I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. For so many POVs, the focus was too much on the story itself, so story and format didn't really fit for me. Also I hoped the scientists wouldsave the day with their science .
BUT it had pretty good autism representation, where the autistic character was not some kind of magical superpower girl nor the ridiculously socially tone-deaf comical relief, so that gives it another half star.
It was a little too long, though, and contained too many POV switches for me, I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. For so many POVs, the focus was too much on the story itself, so story and format didn't really fit for me. Also I hoped the scientists would
BUT it had pretty good autism representation, where the autistic character was not some kind of magical superpower girl nor the ridiculously socially tone-deaf comical relief, so that gives it another half star.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Riding the red ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Moody, which I love, but a little too abstract. Love the idea, though.
Money tree ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Liked it, but it didn't seem like a horror story to me.
Something to hitch meat to ⭐⭐⭐
Very Mage: the Ascension-like.
Snake ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Extremely uncomfortable for read, even though you know there will be a payoff.
Under Glass ⭐⭐
I tried hard (and several times), but I just didn't get that one.
The Glass Bottle Trick ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Uncomfortable in a good way.
Slow Cold Chick ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Absolutely loved it.
Fisherman & The Woman Hands on My Belly Now... ⭐⭐⭐
Again, the concept is cool, I just find most sex scenes boring. That's not the author's fault, I think for somebody who enjoys sex scenes, this would be one of the better ones. So please read it and make up your own mind.
Tan-Tan and Dry Bone ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very nice myth/fairytale.
Greedy Choke Puppy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Love a good creepy vampire story!
A Habit of Waste ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was super intriguing.
And the Lillies-Them A-Blow ⭐⭐⭐
Whose Upward Flight I Love ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ganger (Ball Lightning) ⭐⭐⭐
I get it, and I like the idea, but it was too much porn for me.
Precious ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loved it.
So, this was a mixed bag for me, but overall a great read. Even if I gave several stories 3 stars, there wasn't one that wasn't worth reading for me, and I got something out of all of them.
I like how most of the stories have an ambiguous ending.
Highly recommend reading this collection!
Moody, which I love, but a little too abstract. Love the idea, though.
Money tree ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Liked it, but it didn't seem like a horror story to me.
Something to hitch meat to ⭐⭐⭐
Very Mage: the Ascension-like.
Snake ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Extremely uncomfortable for read, even though you know there will be a payoff.
Under Glass ⭐⭐
I tried hard (and several times), but I just didn't get that one.
The Glass Bottle Trick ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Uncomfortable in a good way.
Slow Cold Chick ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Absolutely loved it.
Fisherman & The Woman Hands on My Belly Now... ⭐⭐⭐
Again, the concept is cool, I just find most sex scenes boring. That's not the author's fault, I think for somebody who enjoys sex scenes, this would be one of the better ones. So please read it and make up your own mind.
Tan-Tan and Dry Bone ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very nice myth/fairytale.
Greedy Choke Puppy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Love a good creepy vampire story!
A Habit of Waste ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was super intriguing.
And the Lillies-Them A-Blow ⭐⭐⭐
Whose Upward Flight I Love ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ganger (Ball Lightning) ⭐⭐⭐
I get it, and I like the idea, but it was too much porn for me.
Precious ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loved it.
So, this was a mixed bag for me, but overall a great read. Even if I gave several stories 3 stars, there wasn't one that wasn't worth reading for me, and I got something out of all of them.
I like how most of the stories have an ambiguous ending.
Highly recommend reading this collection!
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
A small book with a lot of food for thought.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This started so strong I absolutely loved it. Clever, insightful, emotional, raw, cosmic horror with weird body horror, the interactions between the protagonist and Magenta were well done...
But then during the last 3rd of the story it left all of that behind and became nothing but long. Very long. So long it annoyed me. By the end, I was so annoyed I was glad it was over and I didn't have to go through another rambling incoherent monologue again and that kind of ruined the whole book for me. Plus, I really didn't need the romance plot.
I might re-read it to see if I'll have a different reaction the 2nd time around.
But then during the last 3rd of the story it left all of that behind and became nothing but long. Very long. So long it annoyed me. By the end, I was so annoyed I was glad it was over and I didn't have to go through another rambling incoherent monologue again and that kind of ruined the whole book for me. Plus, I really didn't need the romance plot.
I might re-read it to see if I'll have a different reaction the 2nd time around.
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ein unaufgeregtes Buch, das uns kleine Einblicke in das Leben mehrerer fiktiver Charaktere im Wien der 50er Jahre beschert. Wie im echten Leben sind sie mal hoffnungsvoll, mal traurig, mal erfolgreich, mal tragisch. Der ruhige Schreibstil hilft dabei, den Inhalt in den Fokus zu setzen und erinnerte mich mit seiner Sachlichkeit an "Der Alte Mann und das Meer". eines meiner Lieblingsbücher.
All das mochte ich an "Das Café ohne Namen".
Warum es für mich dennoch am Ende eher ein durchschnittliches Leseerlebnis war:
All das mochte ich an "Das Café ohne Namen".
Warum es für mich dennoch am Ende eher ein durchschnittliches Leseerlebnis war:
- Die Charaktere haben mich emotional nur selten mitgenommen, so richtig konnte ich keine Beziehung zu ihnen aufbauen. Auch, weil sich ihre "Stimmen" in ihren jeweiligen Kapiteln nicht wirklich voneinander unterscheiden.
- Die Gedankenwelt der weiblichen Charaktere ist sehr eingeschränkt, obwohl eine Frau einer der Hauptcharaktere ist. Frauen denken nach über: Männer, Aussehen, andere Frauen, Geld, manchmal Arbeit. Männer denken über all das nach und außerdem: den Verlauf der Geschichte, Politik, Architektur undundund. Leider erhält der erwähnte weibliche Hauptcharakter dann auch keine Kapitel mehr aus ihrer eigenen Sicht, sobald sie verheiratet ist, und wir erleben ihre Geschichte nur noch durch die Augen ihres Ehemannes.
Ich finde, das geht in 2023 besser. Vor allem, weil ich die vorhandenen weiblichen Charaktere im Ansatz sehr gut dargestellt fand und gerade mit den Charakteren Mila und Martha hat Robert Seethaler bewiesen, dass er Frauen als komplexe Menschen schreiben kann. Nur hat er leider irgendwann in der Mitte des Buches damit aufgehört.
Ich hörte die Hörbuch-Produktion, gelesen von Matthias Brandt, und fand sie sehr gut produziert. Brandts Sprechweise unterstützt die Unaufgeregtheit des Textes und er lässt keinen der Charaktere zu einer Parodie verkommen.
Vielen Dank an den Ullstein/Claasen Verlag, Hörbuch Hamburg und Netgalley für das kostenlose Rezensionsexemplar.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Miscarriage
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dark
lighthearted
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:
No
Entertaining, but I kept wishing for a little more depth.