Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Motel Styx by Jonathan Butcher, Michelle von Eschen, Michelle von Eschen

4 reviews

h0use0fwind's review against another edition

5.0

dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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5 stars because that ending was 🤌🏻💋
Bloody. Gory. F*cked up in so many ways. But I read this whole book in one sitting. Check the triggers before diving into it. If you don’t have any, I recommend this 100%!!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide, Vomit, Car accident

nalakoala's review against another edition

4.5

dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Wow. What a book. I loved this, one of the most realistic yet still shocking and fun horror books I've read to date. Would reccomend to anyone who can handle the topic of n3cr0ph1li4.

Loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Medical content, Alcohol

Minor: Cursing, Gun violence, Infertility, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship

sinsandscares's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75

To the authors: What the f***?

This book was so much darker and more disgusting than I expected, but in the best way. Motel Styx follows Ellis Mercer as he checks into a necrotel—a motel where people legally indulge in the "recreational use" of corpses—to recover his wife’s remains. The story is twisted, explicit, and unsettling, but the writing is sharp, and the humor (much-needed, trust me) was perfectly placed.

I have to say, there’s only one likeable character in the whole book—and it’s not Ellis. But in a story about necrophiles, does there need to be? That’s the only thing keeping me from a full 5 stars.

I’m not a splatterpunk expert, but this went beyond what I was expecting in terms of shock value. That said, it never felt like it was gross just to be gross. The story itself was unique and so well-executed that I couldn’t look away. The fake hotel reviews and political statements scattered throughout were hilarious and added just the right amount of absurdity to balance the darkness. Oh, and the authors went all out with a real website for the motel (motelstyx.com), which is just as insane as the book itself.

Motel Styx is disturbing, thought-provoking, and unlike anything I’ve ever read. I’m giving it 4.75 stars, and now I need something fluffy to cleanse my brain. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide, Vomit, Car accident

sluglorde's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Violence

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship