Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror by Joe Vallese

15 reviews

bridge_to_narnia's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.75

The connection that people had to various horror movies and their sense of self was extremely interesting. I love dissecting films into different meanings, but on my own watch through I can never think of any of the hidden meanings. Seeing other people's autopsies of their favorite movie is just a real treat.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Dysphoria, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Transphobia, Medical trauma, and Pedophilia

jayisreading's review

dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

The affinity that a number of queer people have with the monstrous is one that is explored in depth in this essay collection. I was invested in what each contributor had to say about their thoughts on their queer identity in relation to a horror film of their choice, which ranged from classic slashers to non-US horror films. Furthermore, this is an incredibly diverse collection of essays, not only in terms of how queerness is defined, but many of these authors also consider their race and/or disability. The contributors’ respective reflections really revealed the complexities of how the monster has been defined by culture and society, some taking a more academic tone when discussing this, while others had a more conversational tone.

Like any edited collection, I found some essays stronger than others. Overall, though, I’d say that it’s rather difficult to call any of them weak. Well worth picking up if you’re interested in horror (and a number of these essays don’t shy away from it, fair warning) and queerness. Relatedly, I recommend picking up Queer Little Nightmares: An Anthology of Monstrous Fiction and Poetry edited by David Ly and Daniel Zomparelli, if you’re looking for more queer monstrosity.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Violence, Ableism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Racism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Biphobia, Death, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Alcoholism, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, and Suicide

hauntedantiqueshop's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

4.0

Me 🤝🏻 lgbt+ authors

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, Biphobia, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Transphobia, Pedophilia, Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Death, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Cultural appropriation

These are all minor and mentioned more in passing, I can only remember one going into more detail than I would have liked. Protect your heart when reading. 🫶🏻

zionsadv's review against another edition

4.0

Got some good movie recs & got to see a lot of films in a different light. This was cool

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Minor: Homophobia, Alcoholism, and Transphobia

bebidocrimes's review

informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

This was such a great collection that covered not only a good range of sexualities and genders, but dove into some intersectionality of race and disabilities as well. It has encouraged me to interact with horror in new ways, inspecting its facets from all angles. After all, there usually isn't one right answer.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Biphobia, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Alcohol, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Transphobia, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Alcoholism, Murder, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, Gore, and Grief

thegayestghost's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Biphobia, Death, Grief, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Infertility, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Child death, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence

amaranth_wytch's review

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, Death of parent, Gore, Addiction, Bullying, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Blood, Classism, Death, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, and Transphobia

taelights's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

While I did like some of the essays in this book and found some of the topics in it fascinating, this wasn't what I expected. I pictured more of a focus on horror through a queer eye and why the authors believe certain horror movies portray queer experiences. While some of the essays focused on this I found a lot of the essays were mainly focused on the writer's personal lives with some vague connections back to the horror movies. I did enjoy this a bit but wouldn't really recommend it because of some weak essays and a lot of them being more just memoirs than queer looks at horror. 

My favorite essays (in order of book) were:

- The Girl, the Well, the Ring 

- Imprint 

- The Wolf Man's Daughter 

- Loving Annie Hayworth 

- Blood, Actually 

- Sight Unseen 

- Bad Hombre 

- Black Body Snatchers 

- Long Nights in the Dark 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Racism, Abandonment, Addiction, Biphobia, Blood, Homophobia, Medical content, Chronic illness, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Deadnaming, Gore, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Grief, Toxic relationship, Violence, Ableism, Child abuse, Lesbophobia, Self harm, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

technicolorlady's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book compelled me to pick up a highlighter to mark all the parts I loved and wanted to reread easily. Wow. What a read. A must read for anyone interested in the intersection of queerness and horror.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Biphobia, Blood, Bullying, Mental illness, Homophobia, Transphobia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Grief, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Violence

bi_n_large's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Medical content, Homophobia, Transphobia, Child abuse, Biphobia, Racism, Blood, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Abandonment, and Death of parent

Minor: Fatphobia and Alcoholism