thenerdybookwitch's Reviews (678)

I refuse to subject myself to this further. It’s so terrible. I don’t recommend, it’s way worse than Dracula which says a lot considering it has its own problematic themes that remained beyond this version. Just stay with Dracula, or don’t. Do whatever you please. I cannot stand this book any longer I abandon it forever 😭🙌🏻

CW: Mentions of Anti-Black Racism

I’d say the first half of the book was very informative. However, there are problems I have with it being the overuse of the S slur and a disregard of the Anti-Black history associated with Krampus that the author goes to a great length in an early chapter to disprove of. This is wrong on many levels, there is plenty of artwork that exists in the 19th century and descriptions of Krampus that were very racist particularly in the Victorian and Edwardian Eras. As well as some performers that were in Blackface. In recent years, Krampus performers and portrayals have been way better without a trace of Anti-Black Racism and Racist Stereotyping though it is something that unfortunately comes back around now and again. I think it was very disrespectful of the author to not only ignore the Anti-Black history but to try and say it never happened at all when it did. Just an FYI if you planned to read the book.

End CW

Other critiques I have is that there is a point where the author repeats nearly everything from one chapter in another chapter. Almost word for word with maybe a little bit switched around. The author also doesn’t have any sort of Further Reading or Sources page. The author makes references to information but most of the sources are just “someone told me this and that” and “someone provided these pictures” without much pointing to where anyone can find all this. Some information does line up with other things I read before but for anyone reading this as their first Krampus book there is no way you’d know where else to look because the author provides barely anything else than hearsay and pics with random sources taken from one place.

Would I recommend this book? I mean, I’m sure there is something better out there but Google is also free and most of this you can find on there. If I do find a good book on the history of Krampus, I will absolutely update this showing the title on the bottom. 

This is probably the first book review where I just sound the most disappointed in a book in a long time but it’s because I am! Thank you for reading if you got this far 😂😂

I listened to the audiobook which gave me some troubles. There was never a smooth transition from one character’s perspective to the others. I don’t know how the paperback is but due to no indication on who was talking until sometimes minutes later it hindered my enjoyment of the book. Besides that it is an okay book, still debating if it’s worth going into the sequel knowing that I’m going to have the same troubles with figuring out whose perspective is focused on at any point.

Review Removed, take warning Freydís Moon is a liar and brownfaced. Read books by actual Latinx Trans authors.

Sadly not in the mood 😭

Not in the mood for it now may come back to it later