Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

62 reviews

theirgracegrace's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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? No

4.25

Annihilation starts off with a series of questions, but its ending does not answer them to incredible effect. The plot centres around an expedition of four scientists who are the twelfth expedition to a place called Area X, where a strange historical event has led to the complete removal of human civilization. What this "human civilization" is replaced with, and what the four uncover about each other, tells a harrowing tale about what it means to be human. 

I was recommended this by a friend who was into biology, and I can definitely say it was a worthy recommendation! I read it all in a handful of sittings over the course of twenty-four hours and this was because I could not put it down. Each revelation is followed by something even more tense and terrifying, and the ending leaves so much unanswered...leading nicely into a second and third book. An amazing read, all in all!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Alcoholism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Death, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Suicide and Cursing

One of the characters uses hypnosis on the others, including a (ineffectual) command to kill themselves.

esaevian's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror and Gore

_nem_'s review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.0

There are so many questions left at the end of the book, especially with reading the synopsis of the second book. I'll definitely be continuing the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Gun violence

Moderate: Alcohol and Murder

Minor: Terminal illness, Cancer, and Pandemic/Epidemic

ajay913's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Terminal illness and Cancer

deathcab4kati's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Gore

ashleybakerwrites's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

4.25

It was pretty good! Definitely unlike any book I've ever read. I thought the writing was very interestingly technical. I can say it probably won't work for everyone- but if you settle in for the atmosphere rather than the character development- you'll have a good time. The stuff was spooky- and I'd recc this to all my sciencey/foragey friends. I feel like they'd get a kick out of this. May return to the series later if I keep thinking about this like I am now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Body horror, and Gun violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Gore

sophieamreacher's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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

Strange and intriguing, I just had to keep reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cancer, Gore, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Confinement, Abandonment, Death, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, and Suicide

biobeetle's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Body horror

applesodaperson's review

challenging dark mysterious 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

4.75

This book made me feel more on edge and stressed than any other book has. I loved the atmosphere,  the format, and the subtle hints about the bad things that were going to happen. I also don’t always like ambiguous endings, but in this case I loved it. 

It also reminded me of I Who Have Never Known Men by Jaqueline Harpman. They both have a group of women in an extremely mysterious environment, and the characters die before ever getting answers to all of their questions. It also reminded me of the Mystery Flesh Pit National Park ARG.

Read from the Provo library. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore

emilywemily6's review

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

This was weird. And I guess that’s the point of it. It wasn’t as eerie and haunting as I thought it would be, but it definitely had both those tones in a mild way. I have so many questions and I think this book will plague my thoughts for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis