Maeve Fly

"I am a dead Playboy bunny and I am a fly and I am a wolf, and I am any wise man's worst nightmare."

I loved this. The final 15 pages were sort of underwhelming (but frankly fitting), and I agree with other reviewers that the first 80 pages or so are a bit of a drag at times, but my few gripes are overcome by the pure (perverse?) joy I had while reading certain passages, accompanied by the songs referenced in those passages (I'm looking at you, Rob Zombie).

And the dark humor, sign me up twice. This thing is funny. And poignant. And at times, both funny and poignant. A bit of a spoiler, but for example, there is a scene in which Maeve is at a fancy party, and there's a guy there who is uttetly fascinated by the videos that he and his buddies send to each other, of themselves defacating into the toilet.

He starts to show the videos (over the futile-protest-turned-begrudging-acquiescence of his girlfriend), and Maeve ups the ante, telling him that she has a cool video of a botched c-section, before pontificating briefly about consuming the placenta. And THIS is what brings the conversation to a screeching halt. THIS was too far.

This is simply an illustration of an idea that is plainly stated throughout the novel: Men are expected to be gross, to have dark parts, to be brash and powerful and unflinching. It is understood. But such standards do not apply to women, and certainly not to Disney princesses, even the most popular one, even the one who would be the ice queen (the film's original intended villain).

I had a blast with this. Just read it already.

Thoroughly enjoyed throughout the book. At first I found the wording pretentious but it suits the narrator perfectly, and I'm glad it didn't stop me from reading. Had a good few wide eyed moments reading this one. I'm new to horror so I don't know how it compares, but I'd rate this more a fun read than a serious one

As crazy as this sounds, this book was comforting to me. Maeve was very similar to me in many ways, and I just loved her story. This book was such a fun time. I loved the ties to Halloween, and might even have to reread it during the season, with a playlist of all of Maeve's favorite songs of course! The ties to being a Disneyland cast member were so relatable, and the LA scene was a great visual throughout.  Many emotions were felt. Sometimes I was laughing out loud, and other times Maeve would think of something that would have me tearing up, neither I expected. Even the death scenes were fun and fresh. Definitely an all time favorite, I cannot believe this is the author's debut novel. I will read anything she writes. 

We are what we are what we are

this is the perfect type of weird-disturbing-unhinged book that I love

Oh this made me sad.

oop

Wow what a great book. A little bit American Psycho, A little like Exquisite Corpse. So glad someone recommended this to me as it was never on my radar. The Disney Princess theme was a nice turn of events.

THAT ENDING???? OMG SHES SOOO DUMB

I picked this up because of the cool looking cover, after seeing it recommended as “feminist body horror” on Likewise. So if you are like me I will save you some time: it's not feminist or body horror. The cover is cool though.

The main character is a woman but she hates and/or belittles all other women (except her grandmother, who is a complete non-entity in this story) and thinks she's unique as a woman due to her misanthropy. The book makes a big deal about it being sexist that stories require women to have trauma to be villains when men can just do what they want, but then gives Maeve villain trauma. The romance is all “oh he was so much bigger than me” straight people crap.

Several quotes and entire scenes are lifted whole cloth from American Psycho but nothing interesting is done with that at all.

I really have to wonder who this book was for. I feel like it was somehow simultaneously too much and too tame, like it's not extreme horror because pretty much everything “extreme” happens off screen, but too much “extreme” content is implied for this to appeal to normies. Baffling book.

Some of the Halloween music trivia was interesting, so 2 stars.

I didn't really like this book that much while I was reading it. It read slowly and I had to push through most of it. Kind of boring for awhile. And then it was just straight torture porn that didn't really do anything for me. Maeve was extremely unlikeable.  None of the “reveals” felt like reveals and I saw them all coming. 

But it made me feel a lot of emotions; emotions I didn't want to feel. Emotions that were very intense and confusing. 
It made my heart hurt, but I felt bad that my heart hurt. I shouldn't have been heartbroken, but I was. The ending hurt my heart. Most of the book I knew it was going to be a 2 star. But the feelings the ending elicited against my will? That bumped it up a bit. 

Half of this felt like a romance novel which is not what I came here for, yet the end jumped straight into the torture horror aspect but still somehow tied the romance back in? 

I'm confused that despite not really enjoying the journey, and really disliking  the  majority of the “horror” (read torture porn) I'm somehow also kind of impressed? This is unlike any genre of book I've ever read, but it all came together and sort of worked for me in the end. 

My immediate thought after finishing this book is - does the ending make my reading experience worth it? I'm not sure hence it doesn't quite get up to the 4 stars. 

I really struggled with Maeve's rambling internal thoughts. It went on so many flashbacks and random rambling thoughts about LA and its history at absolutely random points that it just took me out of the story. I'm not saying the flashbacks weren't interesting or important to the story and relationship in it, but I just found that there were moments I wished we stayed in the moment rather than the side tangents it went on. I also see the importance of that information about the city and how it ties to who Maeve is, but I just didn't care about it every time so it brought my enjoyment down.

Maeve Fly is a bizarre story told from the unique perspective of it's psychopathic anti-hero. Though like her victims, there is a distinct lack of connection and senseless violence that sours the reading experience.

this book is absoutely UNHINGED and at points a fever dream which i adored but it took a bit too long to get there. i loved the gore and commentary combination, i just wish we got a bit more of it 

Very visceral and oddly cathartic. Loved it!

I do have some mild feelings about the way it ended because it did feel very movie scene worthy where you just want to smack the person for being undoubtedly stupid but it wasn't enough to make me lower my star rating and having this be a favorite. It's truly enjoyable. And to the credit of the ending if I had a secret like that I also wouldn't be thinking straight at all, I suppose should that have been potentially outed.

take this how you will. but this made me believe in romance

I received the audio from NetGalley for review. This was one that I grabbed solely for the cover. After I was approved, I started seeing a lot of reviews, which definitely bumped it for me. 
This novel is about Maeve Fly, a not-so specific “ice princess” at a not-so specific “amusement park” in California. She absolutely loves her job, but probably not for the reasons you'd imagine. 
I enjoyed the literary voice in this as it's almost poised as a good-for-her / finding yourself / meets Dexter-y esque inner-monologue type projection. I also liked how as the character becomes more unhinged, so does her crimes, and so does her public projection of herself. Sometimes literally going in public covered in real blood. Some might find that unbelievable, but I thought it nicely highlighted how people's general perception is just I accept what they see and rationalize it. The police in the story included. 
Other than that though, the character is incredibly narcissistic, completely misunderstanding themselves and the perception they present the world with. It's arrogance in a not enjoyable way. Though the biggest flop for me, the stake in the heart, is the novels incredibly over-sexualized nature. This is something I've mentioned in reviews before, but it seems like such a large chunk of modern horror just uses sex and obscure kinks for whatever propellant it can get as shock value. And while again, I certainly find it “horrific” as it is a ‘horror', that doesn't mean I think it's good or find it enjoyable. 
The novel is still on the edge of enjoyability for me though for sure, and Sosie Bacon's narration was fantastic. It's quick, and that keeps it readable. Personally a 3/5* for me. 

Rating: 2.45 leaves out of 5Characters: 2/5 Cover: 2.75/5Story: 2/5Writing: 3/5Horror: 2.5/5Genre: Horror/Contemporary/RomanceType: AudiobookWorth?: MehHated Disliked Meh It Was Okay Liked Loved FavoritedWant to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to listen to this book.What a shit show. It was praised so much and if I have to get to anything good in a book PAST the damn 50% line it isn't it. I shouldn't be bored out of my mind for half the book. Maeve is a psycho, simple. The horror she brings is decent, nothing horrible. I am not big on gore but it seemed to line up. I knew some guy was suppose to be there and it basically turned into a horror spicy romance book. Not mad about it, Gideon sounds hot as hell... given his craziness. In the end what really rated the story low was 1. How boring it was for a good chunk of the book. It was basic trash. Nothing stood out. Nothing really held my grasp. It got really good towards the end and that's about it. 2. The ending. It could have really gone a great way and it just fell flat.So basically it is like sex with a hot guy and you think it is going to be great but in reality it it is shitty for play and 5 seconds of actually shitty intercourse.

I've been wanting to read about a female killer for a while and wow did I get it with this one. The narrator, Maeve, is absolutely insane and a perfectly terrible concoction of all the wicked literature she loves. The reader gets to see the horrific inner-workings of her mind and a glimpse of her backstory. This novel is filled with pure depravity, absolute brutality, and extreme debauchery. This is an ode to those who adore the works of Bret Easton Ellis, George Bataille, and Chuck Palahniuk. I'm not sure if the grotesque imagery will ever leave my mind.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.