Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

24 reviews

wichbich's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

The first book from this author. It wasn't my favorite story ever, but I enjoyed many of the conventions that were played with and really liked the world building a lot. Would definitely pick up another book from this author, especially if it expands on this world more. The lore was definitely the best part though I did really enjoy the grimey romance element. The characters themselves didn't really have much of an arc but it's a very short book so it makes total sense. All in all I thought it was a fun, interesting read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Suicide, Child death, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Gore, Sexual violence, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Minor: Blood, Physical abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

thelittle_seokmin's review against another edition

dark funny fast-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? Yes

4.25

I had a lot of fun with this!! Love a dark atmosphere and Giesbrecht does s0 damn well delivering this. Obsessed with the writing!! ☆▪︎☆ (chapter one could've been a short story in of itself o0Ooo0 it's so good~)

I just could've done with more from it? Like i even more depth to the characters, even more explaination of what Florian's goal was. And I need closure in an ending which this didn't really give. It is a bit rushed and a bit too vague. Add a hundred or more pages for more greatness and this probably would've ended up as a fave. ♡♡♡

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Death of parent, Gun violence, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Self harm, and Violence

Moderate: Stalking, Genocide, and Child death

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Excrement, Incest, Grief, Alcoholism, and Addiction

joy_ong's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, and Gun violence

junisreading's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

5.0

10/10 dark fantasy gory horror vibes, and Johann? Love of my life, giver of the best pet names and insults, my favourite horny bastard.

Florian...

Well, that was a very stupid way to die.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gore, and Violence

Moderate: Self harm and Grief

lh_reads's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

I listened to the audiobook and I think I might need reread of the physical later. Otherwise this book was pure chaos and I weirdly loved it. I enjoy character driven books more than the next person and this put me on a rollercoaster. I really was intrigued by the mcs dynamic even though how horrible they were. I wish it was longer though, I feel it could be fleshed out more if a novel and not novella 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Murder, Stalking, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, and Grief

bookishvicky's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

5.0

How do I find the words to describe this book. First of all, Johann. Johann. Monster himself. Good golly god in heaven. Oh my god. Sorry I actually can’t finish this review I need to stare at a wall and think about the absolute chaos, longing, suffering, lusting, killing—this book is revenge and filth and honey and I just wish it was 300 pages longer. This will have you smirking and gasping and laughing and just hating/loving every character. This is a gem. 

Although

as awful as the cherubic bastard was, really wish we got more Johann/Florian scenes. I Loveeed their dynamic

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death, and Blood

Minor: Rape and Suicide attempt

chris_reads's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I have such mixed feeling on this because I loved the prose and atmosphere and setting, but not so much the plot. As with the characters, they were fascinating and well-crafted but I wasn't exactly rooting for them. This had so many elements I love but they just fell short for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Murder, Self harm, Child death, Death, Gore, and Gun violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Classism, Violence, Blood, and Terminal illness

Minor: Animal death, Stalking, and Drug abuse

starship_olympus's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

1.5

The prose and imagery are absolutely wonderful!! Gothic horror just isn’t my cup of tea, hence the low (personal) rating. I can imagine though, if you love a dark protagonist in a spooky, pre-apocalyptic Gothic, Northern town, this is the book for you.
I did like the mythos and the world building! I’d love to learn more about the stories and gods of this world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol

river24's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

5/5
Where do I even begin? This is the most beautiful, well-written book that I've ever read. The writing is magical, every single line holds so much depth and emotion. I loved every single aspect of this book!
It's dark and bloody and so, so incredible. The relationship between the two main characters had me screaming in this venomous glee. It was–for lack of a better word–gloriously fucked up. Their relationship teetered precariously over the cliffside, swaying back and forth between the firmness of the crumbling soil and the black waters below. I cannot describe with words how perfect this book was. The relationship also reminded me a lot of the relationship between Hannibal and Will in the Hannibal TV show.
This book delves into a shadowed city with a vengeance at its heart and a monster on its heels. I always adore when books explore what it means to be a monster and what it means to be human, this book did so flawlessly in a non-explicit way.
Queer horror as a genre is something I always love and always come back to, please give me recommendations if you have any !! This book was everything and is something that I'll be recommending forever–I will not be forgetting about this book anytime soon!
I always stand by the fact that magic is a metaphor for queerness and I think that the horror genre often holds its own unique spin on queerness in its bloody jaws and both of those factors I am in awe of every single time.
This is quite a short book therefore this review doesn't go into immense detail because I don't want to spoil it, but trust me this book is worth your blood, sweat, tears and more.
Some of my favourite quotes were; 'Don't you feel it, sometimes? As if the world wants to consume itself.' 'Magic is not in the brain, miss; it is in the bones.' 'Thin ice isn’t a problem for the sea; it’s a problem for the blind idiot who steps out on it.'

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Terminal illness, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment and Alcohol

mthevice's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Beautiful writing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual violence, and Genocide