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neuroqueer's reviews
442 reviews
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
fast-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
Plot 💭:
* Intriguing Start, UnFun Everything Else
Writing Style ✍️:
* Easy but Dull to Read
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Unremarkable
Structure 🏗️:
* Multiple Third Person POVs
Setting 🌏:
* Contemporary Setting
* Isolated Tropical Getaway
Characters 🎭:
* Flat & Stereotypical
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Who Do I Root For?: The mystery drew me in but the terrible characters prevented me from engaging. These are the worst stereotypes of different groups of people. The sad part? They were not even hate-able enough for me to be satisfied when they each get bumped off
* Throwing Tomatoes: If the humor used in the book was intentional, it didn't hit. I didn't laugh, smirk, or think any line was clever. There is some crude, politically incorrect humor. I DO think politically incorrect humor can be done, it just wasn't done well.
* Missed The Mark: The mystery had a lot of potential but the characters undermined it
Rating: C
* Intriguing Start, UnFun Everything Else
Writing Style ✍️:
* Easy but Dull to Read
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Unremarkable
Structure 🏗️:
* Multiple Third Person POVs
Setting 🌏:
* Contemporary Setting
* Isolated Tropical Getaway
Characters 🎭:
* Flat & Stereotypical
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Who Do I Root For?: The mystery drew me in but the terrible characters prevented me from engaging. These are the worst stereotypes of different groups of people. The sad part? They were not even hate-able enough for me to be satisfied when they each get bumped off
* Throwing Tomatoes: If the humor used in the book was intentional, it didn't hit. I didn't laugh, smirk, or think any line was clever. There is some crude, politically incorrect humor. I DO think politically incorrect humor can be done, it just wasn't done well.
* Missed The Mark: The mystery had a lot of potential but the characters undermined it
Rating: C
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot 💭:
* Gripping & Unputdownable
Writing Style ✍️:
* Vivid, Descriptive Language
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Good Build Up
Structure 🏗️:
* Well-Organized
Setting 🌏:
* Victorian Era
Characters 🎭:
* Following A "Psycho"
* Intentionally Unlikable Characters
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
* Sex References
* Abuse
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Vivid Language: The writing in "Victorian Psycho" is wonderful, even when depicting disturbing acts or crass thoughts.
* Into the Mind of a Monster: We follow Winifred Notty, a governess who is unapologetically sociopathic. Her thoughts reveal her lack of empathy and her relationship with "The Darkness," a personified evil that resides within her.
* Societal Critique: While exploring the depths of Winifred's madness, the novella also satirizes the absurdity of Victorian upper-class society. The reader is left wondering whether the true insanity lies within Winifred or within the cold, unfeeling world around her.
* WTF Did I Just Read?: I really enjoyed the book's snarky tone. By the end, I was questioning what I just read in the best possible way. This is probably going to be a love it or hate it book but I am in the love it camp.
Rating: A-
* Gripping & Unputdownable
Writing Style ✍️:
* Vivid, Descriptive Language
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Good Build Up
Structure 🏗️:
* Well-Organized
Setting 🌏:
* Victorian Era
Characters 🎭:
* Following A "Psycho"
* Intentionally Unlikable Characters
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
* Sex References
* Abuse
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Vivid Language: The writing in "Victorian Psycho" is wonderful, even when depicting disturbing acts or crass thoughts.
* Into the Mind of a Monster: We follow Winifred Notty, a governess who is unapologetically sociopathic. Her thoughts reveal her lack of empathy and her relationship with "The Darkness," a personified evil that resides within her.
* Societal Critique: While exploring the depths of Winifred's madness, the novella also satirizes the absurdity of Victorian upper-class society. The reader is left wondering whether the true insanity lies within Winifred or within the cold, unfeeling world around her.
* WTF Did I Just Read?: I really enjoyed the book's snarky tone. By the end, I was questioning what I just read in the best possible way. This is probably going to be a love it or hate it book but I am in the love it camp.
Rating: A-
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Plot 💭:
* Slow & Dragging at Times
* Strong Start, Boring Middle, Underwhelming Finish
Writing Style ✍️:
* Easy to Read
* Awkward Dialogue
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Too Slow & Draggy At Times 🐢
* Point of View Shifts Handled Well
* Overall Narrative Arc 👎
Structure 🏗️:
* Unnecessary Scenes or Subplots 😕
Setting 🌏:
* Melbourne, Australia
Characters 🎭:
* Likable Enough Main Character
* Other Characters Unlikable or Uninteresting
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
* Sex Scenes
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Tinsel: While Tinsel is likable enough lead, her dialogue occasionally veers into cringe territory. Phrases like "Initiate Break Up Critical" feel forced and detract from her otherwise relatable persona. When she's not saying such awkward lines, she comes across as empathetic (evident in her fundraiser for the victim's family), ambitious (allowing outdated on-air calls knowing it will give her more engagement and listeners) and passionate about horror movies (her horror themed radio show and knowledge of the genre).
* Where Is Randy Meeks When You Need Him: Despite being a horror movie buff, Tinsel makes the stupidest decisions that contradict her supposed knowledge of the genre. Her tendency to wander alone into dangerous situations when she knows someone is trying to kill her was fitting to the genre but frustrating to watch
* Pandora, The Worst Sister Ever: Pandora, Tinsel's sister, is the most frustrating character in the book. Her obsession with her crime blog overshadows any concern for her sister's safety and sanity. While she does help thanks to clues gleaned from the blog and her social connections, her self-serving actions and smug demeanor make it difficult to sympathize with her. I listened to the audio book version and even the narrator's portrayal was unlikable (she did a great job in general though)
* Who Need Romance?: The romance between Tinsel and Detective James feels unnecessary and insignificant to the overall story. While they have a cute dynamic, their relationship felt distracting and just a reward for the Tinsel's suffering for a previous (albeit shitty and should have ended sooner) relationship.
* Some Positives: The transitions between murder scenes and the main character's perspective are well-executed. The villain's hammy end speech was reminiscent of "Scream".
* Le Sigh: Overall, "The Graveyard Shift" had potential but falls short due to inane character choices, frustrating side characters (PANDORA) , and a pointless romance subplot.
Rating: C+
* Slow & Dragging at Times
* Strong Start, Boring Middle, Underwhelming Finish
Writing Style ✍️:
* Easy to Read
* Awkward Dialogue
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Too Slow & Draggy At Times 🐢
* Point of View Shifts Handled Well
* Overall Narrative Arc 👎
Structure 🏗️:
* Unnecessary Scenes or Subplots 😕
Setting 🌏:
* Melbourne, Australia
Characters 🎭:
* Likable Enough Main Character
* Other Characters Unlikable or Uninteresting
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Visually Represents the Story/Genre
Triggers/Content Warnings ⚠️:
* Murder
* Sex Scenes
Target Audience 🎯:
* Adult
Thoughts 🗣:
* Tinsel: While Tinsel is likable enough lead, her dialogue occasionally veers into cringe territory. Phrases like "Initiate Break Up Critical" feel forced and detract from her otherwise relatable persona. When she's not saying such awkward lines, she comes across as empathetic (evident in her fundraiser for the victim's family), ambitious (allowing outdated on-air calls knowing it will give her more engagement and listeners) and passionate about horror movies (her horror themed radio show and knowledge of the genre).
* Where Is Randy Meeks When You Need Him: Despite being a horror movie buff, Tinsel makes the stupidest decisions that contradict her supposed knowledge of the genre. Her tendency to wander alone into dangerous situations when she knows someone is trying to kill her was fitting to the genre but frustrating to watch
* Pandora, The Worst Sister Ever: Pandora, Tinsel's sister, is the most frustrating character in the book. Her obsession with her crime blog overshadows any concern for her sister's safety and sanity. While she does help thanks to clues gleaned from the blog and her social connections, her self-serving actions and smug demeanor make it difficult to sympathize with her. I listened to the audio book version and even the narrator's portrayal was unlikable (she did a great job in general though)
* Who Need Romance?: The romance between Tinsel and Detective James feels unnecessary and insignificant to the overall story. While they have a cute dynamic, their relationship felt distracting and just a reward for the Tinsel's suffering for a previous (albeit shitty and should have ended sooner) relationship.
* Some Positives: The transitions between murder scenes and the main character's perspective are well-executed. The villain's hammy end speech was reminiscent of "Scream".
* Le Sigh: Overall, "The Graveyard Shift" had potential but falls short due to inane character choices, frustrating side characters (PANDORA) , and a pointless romance subplot.
Rating: C+
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot 💭:
* Thought-Provoking
* Predictable Ending
Artwork 🖌️:
* Expressive Characters
* Beautiful Coloring
* Unique Style
Writing Style ✍️:
* Believable Dialogue
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Rushed but Resolved
Structure 🏗️:
* Goes Through the Expected Paces
Setting 🌏:
* Modern Times
Characters 🎭:
* Relatable but Uninteresting
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Beautiful Artwork & Typography
Target Audience 🎯:
* YA (Young Adult) and above
Thoughts 🗣:
* A "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" plot set in a contemporary setting that explores the complexities of interracial dating
* The story moves quickly to get to main conflict so the leads' romantic connection isn't strongly established
* The artwork is beautiful and expressive - the artist is very good at using colors for mood
Rating: B+
* Thought-Provoking
* Predictable Ending
Artwork 🖌️:
* Expressive Characters
* Beautiful Coloring
* Unique Style
Writing Style ✍️:
* Believable Dialogue
Pace & Pacing ⏱️:
* Rushed but Resolved
Structure 🏗️:
* Goes Through the Expected Paces
Setting 🌏:
* Modern Times
Characters 🎭:
* Relatable but Uninteresting
Book Cover 🖼️:
* Beautiful Artwork & Typography
Target Audience 🎯:
* YA (Young Adult) and above
Thoughts 🗣:
* A "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" plot set in a contemporary setting that explores the complexities of interracial dating
* The story moves quickly to get to main conflict so the leads' romantic connection isn't strongly established
* The artwork is beautiful and expressive - the artist is very good at using colors for mood
Rating: B+