Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo

6 reviews

narzibenoucdel's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Blood, Cursing, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Gore, Death, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

livlamentloathe's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book had me on edge the whole time but it’s SO deeply satisfying. I grabbed it without knowing much, just cause I’d liked Summer Sons. And oh man did it overwhelm my expectations!!

HIGH recommend to queers, non-cis queer folk especially. Please enjoy this strange, dark tale of justice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Hate crime, Medical trauma, and Transphobia

Moderate: Medical content, Pregnancy, Gore, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Deadnaming

Minor: Abortion, Death, Homophobia, Confinement, Rape, and Physical abuse

This book does NOT bury its gays. There is a lot of triggering subject matter but trust me when I say it’s worth it for the ending.

genen0x's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Transphobia, Homophobia, Hate crime, Death, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Deadnaming

Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Abortion

hardbackhoarder's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

The pacing was a bit off - there was a slow build up for the good first 3/4 of the book with a rush of events at the end that felt jumbled in execution.

Was not expecting furry/beastiality? smut which really isn't my thing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Murder, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death, Deadnaming, Cursing, Cannibalism, Blood, Biphobia, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical content, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Rape, and Dysphoria

Minor: Confinement and Panic attacks/disorders

lynch's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

i have no words for how incredible this read was. important and brilliant. everything i want to embody, and totally sexy beyond imagination. changed my life, i fear. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Rape, Hate crime, and Medical content

isaiahh's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The queerly willful creatures of the world had only one another to rely on.

I stayed ten minutes with my pen poised over the paper trying to find a more... professional way to start this review; but it's my review after all, and I'll write it however I please. With that: The Woods All Black is HOT! In both senses of the word.

Set in 1920's Appalachia, this novella follows Leslie Bruin, a FNS nurse assigned to the small town of Spar Creek to inoculate the population and help deliver babies. Unfortunately for Les, this close-knit community led by an infuriating preacher shows only contempt towards him and his queer ways. And as something strange brews in the woods, tensions peak around the explosive behaviour of one Stevie Mattingly, a boy Les has been trying his damned best to help.

This T4T historical horror is everything I could have ever asked for. It's got a rural american setting surrounded by woods and sticky heat (I told you it was hot! I'll let you discover the second meaning of it by yourself, though); queer characters trying to survive while dealing with Frontier PTSD and bigoted religious communities; and, more importantly, MONSTROUS TRANS RAGE (I finished it feeling like I could tear a transphobe's throat with my teeth).
The prose is lush and plunges you right into the skin of Les as he navigates his way around this hostile town for 140 pages; and you will not want to put this book down.

The monster fucking was very unexpected, but entirely welcomed, HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

It's evident Lee Mandelo did a lot of research for The Woods All Black, but it's blended so well in the story, it only serves to make it feel realer. You get a glimpse into the lives of queer folks in 1920's America, and it makes you want to read more of it. 

This is a new favourite for me, and a full five stars! Leslie and Stevie will stay with me for a long, long time. I'm also very excited to discover Mandelo's other works. 

Thank you so much to Tordotcom and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for a review! 

*Just a note to say there IS an age and experience gap between the two main characters, in case anyone is uncomfortable with that! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Rape, Violence, Transphobia, Body horror, and Hate crime

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Death