Scan barcode
lewisr1's review
3.0
This is a slow buildup. You get pieces of what's happening, but never the whole story. Even at the end, there are many pieces missing. But, that's ok, because this is a story that will stay with you. You'll be thinking about it often and discussing it with your friends (especially if they're parents).
It's written ostensibly as a journal, and that does help to bring an everyday quality to the bizarre circumstances. It feels like this is something that could happen, and that makes it even creepier.
The ending left me wondering what other stories could come out of this world.
It's written ostensibly as a journal, and that does help to bring an everyday quality to the bizarre circumstances. It feels like this is something that could happen, and that makes it even creepier.
The ending left me wondering what other stories could come out of this world.
sonofthe's review
4.0
Once again, M. Rickert does a great job of creeping me out and giving my brain some stuff to chew on. This one's a story about what mothers will do for their children, but there are bigger issues about tribalism and what we'll do to protect our own. There are a number of characters here, and Rickert does good things with the different voices.
aconfundityofcrows's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a fascinating story. Like some of the other reviews suggest I don’t think it completely connects thematically across the entire story. But I was still engaged and disturbed enough to keep reading and I liked what the author was trying to do, so I am inclined to rate it higher than it may actually deserve, but I think 3.5 stars is a fair representation of my feelings on the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Child death, Medical content, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Body horror
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Excrement, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, Blood, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and War
Minor: Islamophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Abandonment, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Abortion, Alcohol, Drug use, and Religious bigotry
The ableism is the use of the r***** slur. The Xenophobia/Islamophobia is the use of the pejorativegoldbirdcages's review
1.0
if i had to read “we are such stuff as dreams are made on” one more time i was gonna punch myself in the face
echthroi's review
3.0
A nicely executed version of the "A stranger comes to town." trope. The weirdest part was the bit at the end with news reports of hunters shooting down the babies, and the news anchors just being utterly blasé about it.
wealhtheow's review
2.0
A mysterious man with brilliant blue eyes impregnates most of the fertile women in a little American town. Each of the babies has bat wings, hearty appetites, and grows rapidly. Eventually the mothers piece together what has happened and huddle together in an old farmhouse in hopes of protecting their strange children.
It could have been a cool remix of the Village of the Damned, but instead it just felt rambling and pointless. Eventually it devolves into surreal nonsense. On the one hand, I liked that Jeffrey's identity and the babies' purpose are never really explained; on the other, this felt far too long with far too little meat to it.
It could have been a cool remix of the Village of the Damned, but instead it just felt rambling and pointless. Eventually it devolves into surreal nonsense. On the one hand, I liked that Jeffrey's identity and the babies' purpose are never really explained; on the other, this felt far too long with far too little meat to it.
mayzwatson's review
1.0
if i had to read “we are such stuff as dreams are made on” one more time i was gonna punch myself in the face
gremlinjane's review
4.0
Oh geez. This story. The descent is unrelenting.
In short: A story of a small town in which many of the women are seduced by the same "man" and find themselves pregnant. They give birth to male babies that (the reader can see) are more than just human babies. Insanity slowly ensues. With subtle, haunting details.
So many things to ponder on - Group think. Motherhood. Family. Small town life. Fatherhood. What happens when you feel like your back is against the wall. Dreams. Rational thought. Change. Even a few measures of race and privilege.
I love that throughout this creepy, unfolding drama surrounding this small town, we are actually given insight into a myriad of different personalities - each distinct. And most interesting, as the women are ... forced? Compelled?... together, you still get a sense of what each one is thinking and doing, separate from the rest.
It feels like everyone (aside from maybe the character of Raj) is slowly suffering from a gas leak - reader included - as the story goes on....
I'm gonna go clear my head.
In short: A story of a small town in which many of the women are seduced by the same "man" and find themselves pregnant. They give birth to male babies that (the reader can see) are more than just human babies. Insanity slowly ensues. With subtle, haunting details.
So many things to ponder on - Group think. Motherhood. Family. Small town life. Fatherhood. What happens when you feel like your back is against the wall. Dreams. Rational thought. Change. Even a few measures of race and privilege.
I love that throughout this creepy, unfolding drama surrounding this small town, we are actually given insight into a myriad of different personalities - each distinct. And most interesting, as the women are ... forced? Compelled?... together, you still get a sense of what each one is thinking and doing, separate from the rest.
It feels like everyone (aside from maybe the character of Raj) is slowly suffering from a gas leak - reader included - as the story goes on....
I'm gonna go clear my head.