Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

200 reviews

renpuspita's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

  The premise and execution of My Best Friend's Exorcism remind me of Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampire. A female heroine vs a big baddie in the form of man. Although, I think Hendrix might use the basic of Exorcism for Southern since this book released first. However I reduce the star because

why the dog die? WHY and WHYYYY Hendrix? Is that scene necessary? IS IT????? .

Just like Southern and Horrorstor, I admit that Hendrix is one of few male authors that their book I'd read that can write female characters. Exorcism's heroine is literally a teenager and the 80's setting kinda bring nostalgia although the said nostalgia is more like songs that I know (Like a Virgin, Against all Odd). Reading this book test my patience, because the way Abby, Gretchen, Margaret and Glee written. Because, they ARE teenager. Teenager supposed to be annoying, I suppose. There are some scenes when Abby act so stupid I want to smack her head, but I remind myself, Abby is a teenager. I act stupid too in my teenager era, lel. 

The core of this book is ofc like stated in the title, is the friendship between Abby and Gretchen. Yes, their motto "I love you dearly but not queerly" is kind of problematic although in the end they amend that. The test that Abby and Gretchen endured, especially from Abby's side is extraordinary. Reading the scenes when Abby attacked by demon-Gretchen in which Abby shunned by her friends remind me when in Southern's BC Patricia's sanity also questioned when she accuse James Harris for being a vampire. To said my emotions doing a roller coaster is an understatement. Just like Horrorstor, this book also filled with many 80's things, such as band poster, radio logo, pamphlet, etc. 

As for the exorcism, we got the exorcism. BUT, not the way I imagine at first. The demon got banished by

the power of friendship and love between Abby and Gretchen

, it's so campy to read and left me dumbfounded. As per Hendrix's tradition, so many disturbing scenes to read. The scene when Margaret throw up something something disgusting will make me questioning any diet supplements and it's make me shudder just for imagining it. Contrary to Horrorstor and Southern BC, the creepiness factor is not much so if you don't like ghost, this book don't have ghost in it. Only demon, a nasty demon that love to bring discord and chaos. The 80's setting also mean there's racism like the scene when Abby tell Margaret that she look like Ethiophian because Margaret is so thin because of her sickness make me go WTF. Yeah, so many offensive things happen so proceed with cautions and please check the TW/CW list first.

If I ranked Hendrix's book that I had read, this book ranked the third. Southern BC still number one for me, followed by Horrorstor. If you want to read about horror that have possession on it with at least a decent exorcism scenes and the roller-coaster emotion that follow, My Best Friend's Exorcism might be right up of your alley. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Animal death, Vomit, Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Body horror, Drug use, and Cursing

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Abandonment

Minor: Rape

tatertotthot's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, and Eating disorder

dobbyssocks421's review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Animal death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Blood, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Torture, Racism, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Bullying, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Misogyny, Body shaming, Classism, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Mass/school shootings, Slavery, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual violence

matthewosborne's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Grady Hendrix is really good at writing a type of horror where things aren’t necessarily scary, but I’m incredibly uncomfortable with what’s happening.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, and Animal death

theia_jensen's review against another edition

fast-paced

1.0

I almost DNFed this many times and came very close to giving up at page 270 (iykyk)

when she kills her dog, good boy Max

and I honestly wish I did. The 80s was awkwardly showcased instead of feeling like it took place then and I found myself bored and frustrated. No horror and no comedy. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

thirdtimesacharm's review against another edition

dark funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Animal death, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, and Gun violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Drug use

flyoverzoner's review against another edition

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Strange book. I won't get the hours back that I spent reading this. The pacing was weird, and the main character frustrated me. Seems like the author is bad at writing horror, and multidimensional characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Animal death, and Body horror

Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia

Minor: Child abuse

laurenstravels's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Vomit

wolslaur's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Vomit, Gore, Torture, Emotional abuse, and Excrement

Minor: Death of parent

ralibbey13's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Bullying, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Rape, and Self harm