Broken Dolls

This was a super disappointing read for me since I really enjoyed Mique's debut novel, “Them”. Unfortunately, “Broken Dolls” didn't hit for me in the same way as his previous release. 
There was very little plot aside from the torture and debasement of the entire cast of characters, excluding only our main villain. If there was stellar character development driving the story, I really wouldn't have an issue with this. However, I feel like I didn't get to know any of the characters in a meaningful way. Overall, this made the novella feel very one note. 
Additionally, one of the main features I enjoyed in “Them” was the meaningful commentary, and there was almost none that I could gather from this story. Books are obviously allowed to be “just for fun” and don't always have to have something to say, but that's just what I prefer to read. I also think if there was some kind of commentary, it may have helped me to align with the characters a bit more. But again, this is just personal preference at the end of the day. 
I did thoroughly enjoy Mique's descriptive writing and the passion he has for crafting gorey scenes really shines here. There is no doubt that he is a talented writer and has a gift for creating visuals, whether those visuals are beautiful or twisted. 
I do want to note that I wasn't the biggest fan of the content in this book. The abuse described was mainly directed at a very young minor and it made me exceedingly uncomfortable throughout, which Mique might argue was the point (valid!) but it was not for me (which is also valid!). 
Lastly, the misogyny in this book was also horrifying to me... and I'm not sure that this was an intentional part of the horror created by the novel. It seemed like it stemmed from a lack of awareness and insensitivity towards the female characters, rather than a carefully crafted literary device. This is something I see a lot from male-identifying authors, particularly in the extreme horror community. I hope to see this start to shift sometime soon, but I'm not holding my breath. 
Take all of my thoughts with a grain of salt based on personal preference (not every book is for everyone!) and please go support Mique by reading “Them” on KU now!! 
Thank you to Mique for providing me with an ARC! I feel extremely privileged to be one of the early readers and I look forward to seeing how future releases grow over time. 
& that's all she wrote for this extremely (painfully) honest review! I hope y'all know that you can trust me to be 100% transparent with my literary opinions, even when I'm reviewing the work of someone I know.