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Monsters Don't Cry
Natasha just wants to be loved. But it's hard to find someone when you're an obese, fetid monstrosity of a human. She knows she'll never be beautiful like the women in the magazines but the porcelain face-mask she wears helps her feel pretty. She has spent her life locked in her house by her parents. But one day fate provides an opportunity and Natasha finds herself free to explore the outside world. She wants to find love-no matter how many crushed skulls or disembowelments it takes. From the author of MUERTE CON CARNE and PUS JUNKIES comes a horror novel that is sure to disgust and delight readers.
- GenresHorrorSplatterpunk
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2016
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255 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 21, 2015
Shane McKenzie specializes in extreme horror . Much of what he writes can be described as "body horror", that strange sub-genre that centers on the mutilation, transformation, and destruction of the human form. With Monsters Don't Cry I include in the many variations of that theme, the natural and psychological development of a grotesque person whose deformity influences her own terrifying way of interacting with the world.
Natasha was deformed and hideous from the moment of her birth. Her parents kept her imprisoned in her room. Her mother was physically and verbally abusive to the extreme. The only one who seemed to care about her was her timid and ineffectual father. Her only solace were the glamour magazines that told her there was a fairy tale existence for those who were beautiful and it was something she yearned for more than anything. When she finally escapes from her prison, she goes looking for that dream and her Prince Charming. She will destroy anything that gets in the way of her quest.
One of the things that keep bringing me back to the writings of Shane McKenzie is that he can mingle very explicit kink and violence with emotions and issues that affect us in the "real world". In Muerte con Carne there is an awareness of the throwaway status of illegal aliens and the lower classes in society. In Mutt he writes of the assumptions we make of appearances and ethnicity and the need to belong. Once you get past the immense gore and cruelty of Monsters Don't Cry there is an unmistakable message about the illusion of beauty in our culture. Natasha is a sympathetic "monster" . She is a naturally made Frankenstein who will always attract the torch carrying villagers. She is also an innocent, raised with everyday violence and abuse yet struggling to understand how she can obtain the same goals that her beautiful people in the magazine have. She wants to have love and caring shown to her but violence seems to be what follows her. When she escapes into the world, It is a revelation to her that beautiful people can be just as cruel as monsters as she thinks...
"She's a monster. She's a monster just like me. But she's beautiful.
I didn't know monsters can be beautiful."
It is that conundrum that sold me on the grotesque and alternating beauty and ugliness of Monster Don't Cry. But with all the exquisite mingling of horror and pathos, the characters seem to be a little too comic book at times. Natasha's potential Prince Charming is fairly pathetic when you get down to it. The villains are deliciously horrible yet no one really comes out as admirable. The only really likable person is the novel is ...well...don't get attached to her. Yet despite that, it is Natasha that rules the story with her underdeveloped understanding of the world and her narrowly focused and woefully childish need to be simply loved.
So Monsters Don't Cry manages to be a gruesome roller coaster of a horror novel yet also a look at the fragility of emotions and dreams. Does Natasha finally get her Prince Charming or is it dismemberments and bloodletting all the way ? You will have to read the book to find out. Either way I highly recommend this terrifying exercise in extreme horror.
Natasha was deformed and hideous from the moment of her birth. Her parents kept her imprisoned in her room. Her mother was physically and verbally abusive to the extreme. The only one who seemed to care about her was her timid and ineffectual father. Her only solace were the glamour magazines that told her there was a fairy tale existence for those who were beautiful and it was something she yearned for more than anything. When she finally escapes from her prison, she goes looking for that dream and her Prince Charming. She will destroy anything that gets in the way of her quest.
One of the things that keep bringing me back to the writings of Shane McKenzie is that he can mingle very explicit kink and violence with emotions and issues that affect us in the "real world". In Muerte con Carne there is an awareness of the throwaway status of illegal aliens and the lower classes in society. In Mutt he writes of the assumptions we make of appearances and ethnicity and the need to belong. Once you get past the immense gore and cruelty of Monsters Don't Cry there is an unmistakable message about the illusion of beauty in our culture. Natasha is a sympathetic "monster" . She is a naturally made Frankenstein who will always attract the torch carrying villagers. She is also an innocent, raised with everyday violence and abuse yet struggling to understand how she can obtain the same goals that her beautiful people in the magazine have. She wants to have love and caring shown to her but violence seems to be what follows her. When she escapes into the world, It is a revelation to her that beautiful people can be just as cruel as monsters as she thinks...
"She's a monster. She's a monster just like me. But she's beautiful.
I didn't know monsters can be beautiful."
It is that conundrum that sold me on the grotesque and alternating beauty and ugliness of Monster Don't Cry. But with all the exquisite mingling of horror and pathos, the characters seem to be a little too comic book at times. Natasha's potential Prince Charming is fairly pathetic when you get down to it. The villains are deliciously horrible yet no one really comes out as admirable. The only really likable person is the novel is ...well...don't get attached to her. Yet despite that, it is Natasha that rules the story with her underdeveloped understanding of the world and her narrowly focused and woefully childish need to be simply loved.
So Monsters Don't Cry manages to be a gruesome roller coaster of a horror novel yet also a look at the fragility of emotions and dreams. Does Natasha finally get her Prince Charming or is it dismemberments and bloodletting all the way ? You will have to read the book to find out. Either way I highly recommend this terrifying exercise in extreme horror.
August 30, 2021
Can't believe I'd never heard of this one before. This book has it all -- weird, gross, gore, humor. I connected with each and every character and was able to visualize every scene vividly. This is probably a large part of why I enjoyed it so much, and read it over two days (pretty good, for me).
The main 'monster', the young woman, is a fantastic character and it was really fun to watch her antics, especially once she's 'all kitted out' and leaves the house.
Kinda wish there was a sequel to this, although not sure how that would go.
Also, LOL at the 1 star review. What did you think you were getting into?
The main 'monster', the young woman, is a fantastic character and it was really fun to watch her antics, especially once she's 'all kitted out' and leaves the house.
Kinda wish there was a sequel to this, although not sure how that would go.
Also, LOL at the 1 star review. What did you think you were getting into?
Want to read
March 12, 2016This is copy 14 of 60 copies signed by Shane McKenzie, The book also contains a Cody Schibi Remarque.
August 11, 2017
*Inhalt*
"Sie schämen sich für ihre Tochter. Darum haben sie Natasha seit ihrer Kindheit eingesperrt.
Doch endlich gelingt ihr die Flucht.
Natasha hat nur einen Wunsch: So wie jeder andere Mensch möchte auch sie geliebt werden. Aber wer verliebt sich schon in eine entstellte Monstrosität?
Natasha sucht ihren Prinzen – egal, wie viel Blut das kosten wird …" (Quelle: Amazon)
*Erster Satz des Buches*
">Jerry...Jerry! Komm verflucht nochmal her!<"
*Infos zum Buch*
Seitenzahl: 288 Seiten
Verlag: Festa Verlag
Preis: 4,99 € (E-Book) -> Das Taschenbuch gibt es nur noch gebraucht.
* Infos zum Autor*
"Bentley Little: » Unerbittlich, extrem, hart, talentiert. Shane McKenzie steht an der Spitze der jungen Horrorautoren.«
Shane McKenzie ist einer der einfallsreichsten neue Autoren des Horrorgenres. Er lebt mit Frau und Tochter in Texas." (Quelle: Amazon)
* Fazit*
-> Wieso wollte ich dieses Buch lesen?
Wie ihr sicherlich gemerkt habt, bin ich in letzter Zeit ein wenig dem Festa-wahn verfallen, ich wurde quasi Festafiziert! Aus diesem Grund habe ich ein wenig im Verlagsprogramm gestöbert und als ich las, dass das Taschenbuch bald nicht mehr erhältlich sei, musste ich natürlich noch schnell zugreifen :)
-> Cover:
Ich mag dieses Cover! Das gruselige, blutbeschmierte Mädchen mit dem Teddybär im Arm, nur bekleidet mit Schlafanzug und Bademantel passt einfach perfekt zur Geschichte und macht Lust auf die Lektüre! (Besonders gruselig an der Sache finde ich ja, dass ich eine Schlafanzughose habe, die genauso aussieht, aber das nur am Rande :-D)
-> Story + Charaktere:
Natashas Mutter Celeste war einst Schauspielerin, bis sie schwanger wurde und sich so ihre Karriere in Luft auflöste - doch nicht nur das: Natasha ist kein "normales", sondern ein missgebildetes Mädchen, weswegen sie von ihren Eltern stets eingesperrt und von der Außenwelt ferngehalten wird. Durch einen dummen Zufall bekommt sie die Gelegenheit aus ihrer Gefangenschaft zu flüchten und während sie alleine durch den Wald irrt, begegnet sie dem Mann, der sie lieben soll - und dafür schreckt sie vor nichts zurück!
Was für ein geniales Buch! Wer nicht allzu zart besaitet ist, der findet in diesem Buch nicht nur einen richtig guten Horrorroman, sondern wieder erwarten auch einige Denkanstöße. Neben blutigen Grausamkeiten, jeder Menge Action und einigen Widerwärtigkeiten, können wir die Geschichte von Natasha nicht nur hautnah miterleben, sondern auch mitempfinden - und das geht unter die Haut. Natashas Mutter bringt ihrer Tochter nicht nur keinerlei Liebe entgegen, sie zeigt ihr vielmehr, dass sie ein hässliches Monster ist (O-Ton Celeste) und es nicht wert ist, geliebt zu werden. Die einzige Liebe, die Natasha entgegengebracht wird, kommt von ihrem Vater, der ebenfalls sehr unter der Mutter und ihrem Schönheitswahn zu leiden hat. Auch wenn Natasha kein unschuldiges kleines Mädchen mehr ist, kam ich einfach nicht drumherum, ein gewisses Mitleid für sie zu empfinden, denn das, was sie so erleiden muss, hat niemand verdient und im Grunde braucht man sich dann auch nicht über die ein oder andere Entwicklung zu wundern.
In einer Nebenstory lernen wir Bruno kennen, der sich sein Studium durch Drogenverkauf finanziert, selbst aber keine konsumiert. Dennoch gerät er ziemlich in die Bredouille und weiß nicht so recht, wie er sich daraus wieder befreien soll... Bruno ist ein unglaublich sympathischer Charakter, der sein Studium nicht nur ernst nimmt und alles tut, um es zu finanzieren, sondern auch ein anständiger Kerl ist - im Vergleich zu manch anderem.
Die Story ist spannend, aber auch ziemlich blutig, weswegen man nicht allzu zart besaitet sein sollte, wenn man Interesse an dieser Geschichte hat. Das Ende gefiel mir persönlich richtig gut und ich musste ein bisschen schmunzeln - auch wenn der ein oder andere das vielleicht unangebracht finden mag.
-> Schreibstil:
McKenzie schreibt angenehm und aus der Sicht eines dritten Erzählers. Die Kapitel sind angenehm lang und der Schreibstil fesselt. Seine bildhaften Beschreibungen machen es dem Leser leicht, sich das Geschehen bildlich vorzustellen - ob man das als positiv oder negativ betrachtet, bleibt wohl jedem selbst überlassen. :-)
-> Gesamt:
Interessante Charaktere, spannende Story, blutige Action und die ein oder andere Aussage, die einen zumindest ein wenig zum denken anregt. Für alle Horror-Fans sehr lesenswert!
Wertung: 5 von 5 Sterne!
"Sie schämen sich für ihre Tochter. Darum haben sie Natasha seit ihrer Kindheit eingesperrt.
Doch endlich gelingt ihr die Flucht.
Natasha hat nur einen Wunsch: So wie jeder andere Mensch möchte auch sie geliebt werden. Aber wer verliebt sich schon in eine entstellte Monstrosität?
Natasha sucht ihren Prinzen – egal, wie viel Blut das kosten wird …" (Quelle: Amazon)
*Erster Satz des Buches*
">Jerry...Jerry! Komm verflucht nochmal her!<"
*Infos zum Buch*
Seitenzahl: 288 Seiten
Verlag: Festa Verlag
Preis: 4,99 € (E-Book) -> Das Taschenbuch gibt es nur noch gebraucht.
* Infos zum Autor*
"Bentley Little: » Unerbittlich, extrem, hart, talentiert. Shane McKenzie steht an der Spitze der jungen Horrorautoren.«
Shane McKenzie ist einer der einfallsreichsten neue Autoren des Horrorgenres. Er lebt mit Frau und Tochter in Texas." (Quelle: Amazon)
* Fazit*
-> Wieso wollte ich dieses Buch lesen?
Wie ihr sicherlich gemerkt habt, bin ich in letzter Zeit ein wenig dem Festa-wahn verfallen, ich wurde quasi Festafiziert! Aus diesem Grund habe ich ein wenig im Verlagsprogramm gestöbert und als ich las, dass das Taschenbuch bald nicht mehr erhältlich sei, musste ich natürlich noch schnell zugreifen :)
-> Cover:
Ich mag dieses Cover! Das gruselige, blutbeschmierte Mädchen mit dem Teddybär im Arm, nur bekleidet mit Schlafanzug und Bademantel passt einfach perfekt zur Geschichte und macht Lust auf die Lektüre! (Besonders gruselig an der Sache finde ich ja, dass ich eine Schlafanzughose habe, die genauso aussieht, aber das nur am Rande :-D)
-> Story + Charaktere:
Natashas Mutter Celeste war einst Schauspielerin, bis sie schwanger wurde und sich so ihre Karriere in Luft auflöste - doch nicht nur das: Natasha ist kein "normales", sondern ein missgebildetes Mädchen, weswegen sie von ihren Eltern stets eingesperrt und von der Außenwelt ferngehalten wird. Durch einen dummen Zufall bekommt sie die Gelegenheit aus ihrer Gefangenschaft zu flüchten und während sie alleine durch den Wald irrt, begegnet sie dem Mann, der sie lieben soll - und dafür schreckt sie vor nichts zurück!
Was für ein geniales Buch! Wer nicht allzu zart besaitet ist, der findet in diesem Buch nicht nur einen richtig guten Horrorroman, sondern wieder erwarten auch einige Denkanstöße. Neben blutigen Grausamkeiten, jeder Menge Action und einigen Widerwärtigkeiten, können wir die Geschichte von Natasha nicht nur hautnah miterleben, sondern auch mitempfinden - und das geht unter die Haut. Natashas Mutter bringt ihrer Tochter nicht nur keinerlei Liebe entgegen, sie zeigt ihr vielmehr, dass sie ein hässliches Monster ist (O-Ton Celeste) und es nicht wert ist, geliebt zu werden. Die einzige Liebe, die Natasha entgegengebracht wird, kommt von ihrem Vater, der ebenfalls sehr unter der Mutter und ihrem Schönheitswahn zu leiden hat. Auch wenn Natasha kein unschuldiges kleines Mädchen mehr ist, kam ich einfach nicht drumherum, ein gewisses Mitleid für sie zu empfinden, denn das, was sie so erleiden muss, hat niemand verdient und im Grunde braucht man sich dann auch nicht über die ein oder andere Entwicklung zu wundern.
In einer Nebenstory lernen wir Bruno kennen, der sich sein Studium durch Drogenverkauf finanziert, selbst aber keine konsumiert. Dennoch gerät er ziemlich in die Bredouille und weiß nicht so recht, wie er sich daraus wieder befreien soll... Bruno ist ein unglaublich sympathischer Charakter, der sein Studium nicht nur ernst nimmt und alles tut, um es zu finanzieren, sondern auch ein anständiger Kerl ist - im Vergleich zu manch anderem.
Die Story ist spannend, aber auch ziemlich blutig, weswegen man nicht allzu zart besaitet sein sollte, wenn man Interesse an dieser Geschichte hat. Das Ende gefiel mir persönlich richtig gut und ich musste ein bisschen schmunzeln - auch wenn der ein oder andere das vielleicht unangebracht finden mag.
-> Schreibstil:
McKenzie schreibt angenehm und aus der Sicht eines dritten Erzählers. Die Kapitel sind angenehm lang und der Schreibstil fesselt. Seine bildhaften Beschreibungen machen es dem Leser leicht, sich das Geschehen bildlich vorzustellen - ob man das als positiv oder negativ betrachtet, bleibt wohl jedem selbst überlassen. :-)
-> Gesamt:
Interessante Charaktere, spannende Story, blutige Action und die ein oder andere Aussage, die einen zumindest ein wenig zum denken anregt. Für alle Horror-Fans sehr lesenswert!
Wertung: 5 von 5 Sterne!
May 14, 2025
The new cover and the extras with Judith Sonnet along with always loving Shane’s writing I was excited to get into this as I preordered the special edition months ago. Eek!
I got to meet Natasha in this story. She is something else! So incredibly sad and sheltered and superhuman strong and she is treated like a monster by her very own washed up actress mother and oblivious father. One day some poor MF messes with the wrong house and after a bloodbath, Natasha can finally escape her prison, even though she is scared. She runs across an unfortunate soul while she is lost and instantly falls in love, something she has desperately always wanted. This love interest is terrified of Natasha and she doesn’t have a clue. She just knows she needs to find him again and nothing and no one is about to get in her way or ruin it for her.
I’m going to come right out and say it, I enjoyed this book but the amount of times a character in the story vomits is just way too much. I don’t want to read the word bile anytime again in the near future. 😅 so that is my one complaint. The rest of the story is a good time. I love Shane’s writing style and this concept for a book is so cool, hadn’t read anything like it before. Happy reading!
I got to meet Natasha in this story. She is something else! So incredibly sad and sheltered and superhuman strong and she is treated like a monster by her very own washed up actress mother and oblivious father. One day some poor MF messes with the wrong house and after a bloodbath, Natasha can finally escape her prison, even though she is scared. She runs across an unfortunate soul while she is lost and instantly falls in love, something she has desperately always wanted. This love interest is terrified of Natasha and she doesn’t have a clue. She just knows she needs to find him again and nothing and no one is about to get in her way or ruin it for her.
I’m going to come right out and say it, I enjoyed this book but the amount of times a character in the story vomits is just way too much. I don’t want to read the word bile anytime again in the near future. 😅 so that is my one complaint. The rest of the story is a good time. I love Shane’s writing style and this concept for a book is so cool, hadn’t read anything like it before. Happy reading!
January 4, 2016
I received a copy of Shane's new book directly from Deadite and I immediately started reading it. Shane has a unique writing style that is reminiscent of guys like Edward Lee. I'm a huge fan of the guy and have a ton of his stuff on my Kindle. When you read McKenzie's stuff you should know that it's not going to be pleasant at all. This is true balls out splatterpunk. Tons of gore, and sheer all out mayhem. Underneath that mayhem though is a talented writer. If he was just a guy that filled his books with gore he wouldn't be one of my favorite writers. Gore is nice, but there has to be a story to hold it all together.
Monsters has one hell of a premise and as I read it I could see that McKenzie crafted this in such a way that you can immediately tell who the true monsters are. Despite her appearance Natasha is the only human in the book. Her actions are a direct result of her environment and the way that people treat her. It's like Frankenstein without the lightening and the mad scientist. Natasha is surrounded by cruelty so she acts the only way she knows how, and that's through violence. All she wants is to be loved. It's something we all want and as Natasha hones in on Bruno that's when the body count rises because Bruno has some trouble of his own. With all of that is the gore, the violence, and everything else that McKenzie throws at his characters.
McKenzie has been writing this style for a long time and he knows exactly how to hook his readers and he never fails to give them what they came for. The hook is Natasha as she destroys everything she touches in her quest to find true love. It's a book that should be approached with the utmost caution. If you're at all squeamish then by all means avoid this book. You'll end up pissed off with massive amounts of puke dripping from your chin. In Monsters the story itself is intriguing and as you wade through the various rivers of blood you begin to see that Natasha does all of this for a reason. She's not just killing without a reason. McKenzie has a knack for creating characters that we can root for. Natasha is the hero of the novel and as I read it I couldn't help but admire her for what she's doing.
Monsters is a splatterpunk classic that could easily fit onto my best of 2015 list because it's an engrossing, and shocking read. Shane's one of those writers that you end up reading because you know it's going to be good. He's one of those writers that's keeping the splatterpunk/torture porn movement going while creating some damn good titles. If you like extreme, blood soaked horror this is one that you should read. It has all of that and a story that gives the violence a reason to exist. We all need a little violence and here Shane delivers it in a KFC bucket with a smile and an extra side of gore.
Monsters has one hell of a premise and as I read it I could see that McKenzie crafted this in such a way that you can immediately tell who the true monsters are. Despite her appearance Natasha is the only human in the book. Her actions are a direct result of her environment and the way that people treat her. It's like Frankenstein without the lightening and the mad scientist. Natasha is surrounded by cruelty so she acts the only way she knows how, and that's through violence. All she wants is to be loved. It's something we all want and as Natasha hones in on Bruno that's when the body count rises because Bruno has some trouble of his own. With all of that is the gore, the violence, and everything else that McKenzie throws at his characters.
McKenzie has been writing this style for a long time and he knows exactly how to hook his readers and he never fails to give them what they came for. The hook is Natasha as she destroys everything she touches in her quest to find true love. It's a book that should be approached with the utmost caution. If you're at all squeamish then by all means avoid this book. You'll end up pissed off with massive amounts of puke dripping from your chin. In Monsters the story itself is intriguing and as you wade through the various rivers of blood you begin to see that Natasha does all of this for a reason. She's not just killing without a reason. McKenzie has a knack for creating characters that we can root for. Natasha is the hero of the novel and as I read it I couldn't help but admire her for what she's doing.
Monsters is a splatterpunk classic that could easily fit onto my best of 2015 list because it's an engrossing, and shocking read. Shane's one of those writers that you end up reading because you know it's going to be good. He's one of those writers that's keeping the splatterpunk/torture porn movement going while creating some damn good titles. If you like extreme, blood soaked horror this is one that you should read. It has all of that and a story that gives the violence a reason to exist. We all need a little violence and here Shane delivers it in a KFC bucket with a smile and an extra side of gore.
February 1, 2018
Natashas Eltern schämen sich für ihre entstellte Tochter und halten sie seit ihrer Kindheit wie eine Gefangene im Haus. Natasha sehnt sich wie jeder andere Mensch nach Liebe, bekommt daheim aber nur Hass und Ablehnung. Eines Tages gelingt ihr die Flucht und sie sucht in der Freiheit ihren Märchenprinzen. Egal wie viel Blut sie dafür vergiessen muss...
Natasha ist nicht nur entstellt, sie ist auch ein sehr starkes Mädchen. Das bekommen die Protagonisten schon bald am eigenen Leib zu spüren. Das Blut trieft nur so aus den Seiten beim Lesen, denn nicht nur Natasha ist mörderisch gut unterwegs. Mir hat das Lesen sehr viel Spass gemacht. Trotz der eher kurzen Geschichte hat es der Autor doch verstanden, die Charaktere so zu zeichnen, dass ich auch mitfiebern konnte. Ich war positiv überrascht, dass sich hinter einer solch wüsten Geschichte durchaus etwas Sozialkritik versteckte. Und natürlich auch ein Augenzwinkern.
Auch das Ende hat mich positiv überrascht. Damit hätte ich nicht gerechnet und es hat die kleinen Längen in der Geschichte direkt wieder raus gehauen.
Ich fand die Idee zur Geschichte toll und mir hat die Umsetzung sehr gut gefallen. Das Buch war flüssig und schnell zu lesen. Ein bizarres, spannendes und unterhaltsames Buch, das in keiner Festa-Sammlung fehlen sollte. Es war mein erstes Buch von Shane McKenzie und ich freue mich schon auf Muerte con Carne, welches noch auf meinem Stapel liegt.
Natasha ist nicht nur entstellt, sie ist auch ein sehr starkes Mädchen. Das bekommen die Protagonisten schon bald am eigenen Leib zu spüren. Das Blut trieft nur so aus den Seiten beim Lesen, denn nicht nur Natasha ist mörderisch gut unterwegs. Mir hat das Lesen sehr viel Spass gemacht. Trotz der eher kurzen Geschichte hat es der Autor doch verstanden, die Charaktere so zu zeichnen, dass ich auch mitfiebern konnte. Ich war positiv überrascht, dass sich hinter einer solch wüsten Geschichte durchaus etwas Sozialkritik versteckte. Und natürlich auch ein Augenzwinkern.
Auch das Ende hat mich positiv überrascht. Damit hätte ich nicht gerechnet und es hat die kleinen Längen in der Geschichte direkt wieder raus gehauen.
Ich fand die Idee zur Geschichte toll und mir hat die Umsetzung sehr gut gefallen. Das Buch war flüssig und schnell zu lesen. Ein bizarres, spannendes und unterhaltsames Buch, das in keiner Festa-Sammlung fehlen sollte. Es war mein erstes Buch von Shane McKenzie und ich freue mich schon auf Muerte con Carne, welches noch auf meinem Stapel liegt.
January 10, 2016
Disgusting
Really. But could not put it down. If you want to read something truly original, this is it. Keep a barf bag handy.
Really. But could not put it down. If you want to read something truly original, this is it. Keep a barf bag handy.
January 30, 2023
This book felt really… weird to me. I was expecting one thing, and got another. I don’t think it was bad by any means; it’s probably just not my cup of tea. I really liked learning about Natasha and her life and what went wrong to make her like that. All the thoughts in her head and everything. Then Bruno and his college friends and Matilda enter the story and it seems like Natasha becomes more of a device than a character. Maybe I didn’t like it so much because I’m really really not a fan of the college/frat story type or personality. I even had to put it down a few times because I needed a break from those scenes. I just wanted to get back to Natasha but that never really happened.
I will say, Matilda is an excellent villain and completely horrifying beyond comprehension, but I really wanted more with Natasha because she (and maybe Bruno a bit) were the only characters that had that really good, interesting backstory. It seemed like toward the end Bruno kinda forgets about Matilda (which is addressed kinda but still) which was a bit weird. I also didn’t like that there was so much puke in this book. I get it’s extreme horror but it seemed excessive, even though it wasn’t meant to be in a disgusting way. The ending was quite unusual as well. Don’t know what I was expecting and I’m not including spoilers here.
I did really like the “pour out the b*tch juice a few ounces” insult though, I’m definitely going to be using that from now on.
Overall it just wasn’t my thing but I find a lot of other Shane McKenzie books to have really interesting plots and I didn’t have a problem with any of the writing at all so I’ll be reading some more of his stuff in due time.
I will say, Matilda is an excellent villain and completely horrifying beyond comprehension, but I really wanted more with Natasha because she (and maybe Bruno a bit) were the only characters that had that really good, interesting backstory. It seemed like toward the end Bruno kinda forgets about Matilda (which is addressed kinda but still) which was a bit weird. I also didn’t like that there was so much puke in this book. I get it’s extreme horror but it seemed excessive, even though it wasn’t meant to be in a disgusting way. The ending was quite unusual as well. Don’t know what I was expecting and I’m not including spoilers here.
I did really like the “pour out the b*tch juice a few ounces” insult though, I’m definitely going to be using that from now on.
Overall it just wasn’t my thing but I find a lot of other Shane McKenzie books to have really interesting plots and I didn’t have a problem with any of the writing at all so I’ll be reading some more of his stuff in due time.
March 23, 2022
Natasha is unloved by her Mother and coddled by her Father. An adult with the mental capacities of a child, her deformities the result of a pregnancy gone sideways.
All she wants is to please people, to find her Prince, someone who will love her for who she is....sounds idyllic and sweet, right?
Fuck all that! This is a Shane McKenzie book so expect a bizarre, fucked up story filled with violence and gore. Natasha is a monstrous freak who should have been committed years ago, mostly due to her Mother's influence and treatment.
The death and destruction she commits in search of true love is appalling. Is there a happy ending? Does she find her Prince Charming? Perhaps.......4 out of 5 porcelain masks.
All she wants is to please people, to find her Prince, someone who will love her for who she is....sounds idyllic and sweet, right?
Fuck all that! This is a Shane McKenzie book so expect a bizarre, fucked up story filled with violence and gore. Natasha is a monstrous freak who should have been committed years ago, mostly due to her Mother's influence and treatment.
The death and destruction she commits in search of true love is appalling. Is there a happy ending? Does she find her Prince Charming? Perhaps.......4 out of 5 porcelain masks.
April 5, 2022
This book was awesome and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it...Natasha was an amazing character and filled the book with gore,blood,guts and true violence,I loved the story line and it kept me gripped until the very last page,I was rather confused to how big her doll must have been...as she was able to use the dolls porcelain face as a mask for her own disfigured face!!!maybe we wasn't meant to think about that????
From the words of a brilliant author... "If this book offended you in any way, I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. It’s your own fault, really. What the fuck were you doing picking this book up in the first place?" Couldn't have said it any better myself!!!!
From the words of a brilliant author... "If this book offended you in any way, I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. It’s your own fault, really. What the fuck were you doing picking this book up in the first place?" Couldn't have said it any better myself!!!!
October 8, 2018
A child minded deformed killer giantess, a beautiful sadistic drug mistress and her crew of musclebound male prostitutes and a failing college weed dealer keep the action moving and the pages turning. This book is a rollercoaster ride of lust and carnage that would make Ed Lee proud.
July 18, 2025
Wie der Untertitel schon sagt: Brutal und bizarr. Schön trashig.
September 16, 2022
Do you enjoy slasher movies? Get ready for a ride.
Usually (good) slasher movies start with the usual victim backstory and character development just for you to witness how they take their guts out.
Here, McKenzie does a twist and starts by telling us in excruciating nasty details the origin of his "monster". You will soon realize that evil is a very subjective thing, and is definetely not inherited but rather learned.
Usually (good) slasher movies start with the usual victim backstory and character development just for you to witness how they take their guts out.
Here, McKenzie does a twist and starts by telling us in excruciating nasty details the origin of his "monster". You will soon realize that evil is a very subjective thing, and is definetely not inherited but rather learned.
January 22, 2016
Review from http://beneaththeunderground.com
Written by Shane McKenzie and published through Deadite Press, Monsters Don’t Cry is about Natasha, a prisoner in her own house and a victim of her mother’s inability to love. She is also a malformed child, a monstrosity of obesity and strength. Locked away in her room, aside from her loving father, she has little interaction with humans. Only having fashion magazines and reruns of her mother’s television show to form opinions on, she only wants to feel and know love. She wants a Prince Charming.
Bruno is a struggling college student, selling drugs in order to pay his tuition. He works for a criminally beautiful and criminally insane woman, Matilda, who runs the show in the most bizarre ways possible. After an encounter with a hotshot new campus cop, Bruno finds himself in the worst position imaginable as Matilda has made him enemy number one.
For those that are unfamiliar with the twisted work of author Shane McKenzie, his style varies from gross out body horror to endearing moments of emotional commentary. For most, the visceral way in which he describes things could keep people from digging deep into his work. When getting people into his stuff, I use this analogy: Shane McKenzie’s writing is like a hotdog. It’s a bunch of gross shit that is used to make something amazing. You may be pushed to the edge of hitting your gag reflex, but you are guaranteed to enjoy the overall story.
Continue reading here: http://beneaththeunderground.com/book...
January 8, 2016
I love shane McKenzie, unfortunate this one just didn't do it for me. The over the top violence and gore was so unrealistic it was almost cartoonish and I found myself rolling my eyes more than anything. The whole "misunderstood monster" thing don't work, I feel no emotion for her or any of the other over the top stereotypical characters. It did have a few cool scenes though, mostly involving the drug lord kingpin Matilda and her group of killer muscle bound man whores. Honestly I think it would have made a great graphic novel
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December 23, 2015I loved it!!!
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