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aformeracceleratedreader's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.0
I have mixed feelings about this and was generally confused throughout the majority of it. I liked the vibes and social commentary, but a lot of it was confusing to me. Like I get what happened and yet I don't? I was left with more questions than answers and that isn't satisfying for me as a reader. I do appreciate Farrah being unhinged (I love an unhinged female character) and it very much was fitting for a teenager.
at the end, I'm not sure why they killed the mom but were okay with the dad (like was it just because they needed a white man to get them off the hook?)? Were they planning on doing something to him too or was it enough that the threat that Farrah and Cherish COULD do something enough? What about Farrah's parents as well? Did they know Cherish's family was that sinister or was it just an intuitive thing by Farrah's mom? Are they still moving out of state?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Self harm, and Toxic friendship
dimeryrene's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Gaslighting
This is a social horror novel about power struggles between upper class Black people and upper class white people. There’s also commentary on Black families vs white families and what differences parental tactics need to take. Cherish and Farrah are best friends and both upperclass Black girls. Cherish is raised by white adoptive parents while Farrah is raised by her two Black parents. When Farrah has to go live with Cherish and her family due to her own family’s bankruptcy things take a dark turn as both girls and their parents all struggle to be in control._downfish's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is for someone, but that someone is not me. The pacing was erratic— there were entire chapters where nothing to advance the plot or illuminate the characters. The ending was lackluster. I usually enjoy villain protagonists and unreliable narrators, but I found myself wishing we spent less time in Farrah’s head and more in the actual story. Ultimately this is story of about Black teenagers being physically and mentally abused by white adoptive parents. Think Get Out, but with no satisfying resolution. Great potential, but unfortunately that potential was not realized.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Racism, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, and Toxic friendship
caidyn's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I read this book in basically one sitting with a few breaks. The comparison to Get Out is 100% perfect. A social commentary on classism and race, plus tense family relationships. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this book, but it totally blew me away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Toxic friendship, Classism, Gaslighting, and Violence
mysterymom40's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gaslighting, Self harm, and Violence
lilifane'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I'm really torn here because there are aspects of this book I really liked, but I can't say I liked the book. I didn't hate it, either. I guess the best way to describe it is fascinating and frustrating.
I love the title, it fits perfectly, same as the cover. I liked the social commentary/ horror aspect of the story, the vibes did remind me a lot of Get Out (I feel like everything it compared to Get Out these days, but this is the first time the comparison actually made sense to me). I loved the slow burn, the unsettling atmosphere, the way you don't know what is going on or whom to trust.
Unfortunately, I had a bad reading experience. The writing or narrative voice wasn't for me. I like the idea to spend a whole book in the head of one character and have this limited point of view. But it was SO tedious to be in Farrah's head. First it was interesting and new and there were moments when it had an impact on the story for me. But at some point it just got exhausting. The narration was just so vague all the time and made me more and more angry the more I progressed with the book. It's clear that Farrah observes everything that's going on around her and makes assumptions based on what she thinks she knows. But she doesn't actually tell you what she thinks or what she knows. It's like she is secretive in her own thoughts for no reason at all. And this got really frustrating. I also wasn't a fan of the gore.
I love the title, it fits perfectly, same as the cover. I liked the social commentary/ horror aspect of the story, the vibes did remind me a lot of Get Out (I feel like everything it compared to Get Out these days, but this is the first time the comparison actually made sense to me). I loved the slow burn, the unsettling atmosphere, the way you don't know what is going on or whom to trust.
Unfortunately, I had a bad reading experience. The writing or narrative voice wasn't for me. I like the idea to spend a whole book in the head of one character and have this limited point of view. But it was SO tedious to be in Farrah's head. First it was interesting and new and there were moments when it had an impact on the story for me. But at some point it just got exhausting. The narration was just so vague all the time and made me more and more angry the more I progressed with the book. It's clear that Farrah observes everything that's going on around her and makes assumptions based on what she thinks she knows. But she doesn't actually tell you what she thinks or what she knows. It's like she is secretive in her own thoughts for no reason at all. And this got really frustrating. I also wasn't a fan of the gore.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gore, Violence, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Racism, Toxic friendship, Vomit, and Emotional abuse
toofondofbooks_'s review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I can honestly say I've never read anything like this before. "Cherish Farrah" had me hooked from the first page and it absolutely had me in a chokehold. The relationship between the two main characters was deliciously toxic, you never knew what was gonna happen there from one page to the next, the voice of our narrator (Farrah) was haunting, cunning, and often flat out disturbing. The craziest thing is that I never had any idea where it was going, and I usually have theories as to what is going on in a thriller, but I came up completely empty whenever I tried to theorize what could possibly be going on. The writing was beautiful and I felt like the book sort of read like an A24 film, which depending on your taste, could be a good thing or a bad thing. For me, it was a good thing. Someone make this into a film and cast Ryan Destiny in it, please.
The only things that I had a problem with were the repetition of certain words and phrases throughout, and I also didn't think that the ending was as explosive as it could've been. Overall, it was a very good social horror that examines class and race in a unique way that I've never read before. I think you should pick it up, but heed the trigger warnings.
The only things that I had a problem with were the repetition of certain words and phrases throughout, and I also didn't think that the ending was as explosive as it could've been. Overall, it was a very good social horror that examines class and race in a unique way that I've never read before. I think you should pick it up, but heed the trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Body horror, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Death, Vomit, Blood, Self harm, Classism, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Racism, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Drug use
amandas_bookshelf's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Violence, and Vomit
egmamaril's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
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