Lizard

I love women as men are expected to, but the way only one who has ever experienced womanhood can.

I feel like I wrote a short story almost identical to this book when I was 13, everything I wrote had to be meaningful, and the darkest place I knew was an institution after binging 20 other Creepypastas that also took place in said institution. This book is by far not the worst thing I've read but it's definitely not up there in memorable ranks either. The author jostles you around in the book which is meant to give off the same confusion the protagonist is going through, but it instead makes the ending and events that happen clear from the first few pages. The characters are unlikeable and edgy, the writing is bland, and the book takes itself so seriously it's laughable. My final irk is the 'interludes' between events; they weren't needed and felt like the page long inclusions of author notes I see in fanfictions where they warn you it's about to get even worse when in fact it just gets worse in regards to writing and plot creation. It's a book that's about 150 pages and if you have the urge to read a short book that's reminiscent of your emo teen years, it's pretty good just don't expect much.

Beautiful art piece, but I fear the art carries much of the book. The story is good, but felt drawn out for the sake of just being drawn out at times and I skimmed some of the dialogue at times. This isn't one you can read like a normal graphic novel, you have to be paying attention because even then it can be insanely hard to path your eyes for the next text bubble/space.

It was fine. I hated all the characters but the story was interesting. Simple, but not dumbed down. I would recommend it to people just wouldn't be my first recommendation.

Not beating the playlist in a book stereotype.

I am getting convinced most novellas are an excuse to make money on a half pint idea that you don't have to actually flesh out. This one furthers my point. The characters? Didn't care. The plot? Like bumper cars, the way it bumbles the reader into a plot point head on. The ending? Nonsensical. Horror? Nope. Mushrooms? I guess. Rats? Inconsequential. Had some potential but completely fumbled it within 20 pages.