Literally Dead Book Club discussion

Monstrilio is written in 4 acts, each named after the character whose perspective we are reading from.

This discussion is for Magos. In my hardcover edition, this section runs up to page 82.

What did you learn in this section?
Who did you meet and how do you feel about them?
Have you read anything like this before?

I loved the start of this !! I’m very intrigued :0 All of the characters are interesting, and this book definitely fits in the same genre as my favourites. Strange horror about grief. Excited ! :)

This book is so weird in a really great way. I got grossed out over the body horror part, but I’m loving where it’s going. So far I’m really intrigued by the mother and housekeeper’s relationship. I can’t wait to see more of that. I also really love the scene where Joseph laughs at Magos because he realizes she is just as broken as he is because we as the reader are realizing it too. I haven’t read anything like this and that really excites me.

Loving it so far. I think so far its done a good job at illustrating how people grieve in their own way for better or worse. The depictions feel compassionate.

Each character is interesting in their own way. It stands out to me how Magos could not understand her mom’s reasoning that the house is a member of the family so she could not sell it; at the same time she cannot get rid of the lung when told to do so because she sees it as part of her family.

As for Lena, I like that she and Joseph are friends; that the writer didn’t write her as resentful of Joseph.

I’m excites to see what direction the author takes each character and the now sentient lung.

This story gives me a strange mix of feeling completely heartbroken, yet disturbed all at the same time. I feel for Joseph and Magos and understand where both are coming from. I like all of the different relationships and the different ways each person expresses love and deals with grief.

I'm curious to see how the story changes with each perspective.

I haven't read anything like this before. It's an interesting take on grief and the grieving process. The foreground grief is of course Santiago's death, but there's also the grief of Magos' mother regarding the failing house which she sees as her family. This is paralleled nicely with Magos and the Lung. 

And Santiago's parents themselves have conflicting grieving processes so much so that Magos finds Joseph's grief boring, while we learn near the end of the first act that he had viewed Magos' grieving process as cold and heartless. It isn't until he sees the current state she's living in that he realizes she's also just as distraught as he is. 

I am curious as to why the Lung is such a "monster" compared to the local legend we heard earlier from Jackie.

Enjoying the book so far. I'm reminded of the Finnish movie "Hatching" where the main character finds a monstrous bird that she hides and protects. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatchin...

I'm curious to read Lena's section now. We already know Lena is in love with Magos. How will she care for Magos after the last scene with the lung? What becomes of the lung?

Curious... yes I am! This book is going to make a great discussion on the live.

I'm really enjoying the book so far, I'm interested in what becomes of Lung.

Interested from the beginning sentences. Felt sad for Mago and her loss. Things took an unexpected turn.

Just finished the Magos section and find it fascinating!

I went to sleep last night imaging how it would feel to wake up with that little monster attached to my thigh! LOL

No one except Magos is safe around the lung at this point so how will it keep growing?

This was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the fall and so far I've found it to be a little slow. I'm definitely intrigued but it's taking me a minute to get into the characters and the writing style. At this point I'm most interested to learn more about Santiago and The Lung. I love the parts describing the anatomy of the lung creature. I love when monster horror feels new and unexplored. I'm hoping it picks up a little in the following parts but regardless, this is a great book club pick. I think there will be a lot of great discussion for the live chat.

I haven't read abything like this before but ai am intrigued to see what unfolds. I am interested in Magos and Joseph's crumbling relationship and how they bith process their grief. I really like Jackie and how she is protective of Mago's mom.

Tabbing this one…that’s how much I’m enjoying it

I don't think I've read anything like that before. I like Lena so far. It's hard to know if I like Magos and Joseph, cause there is next to no reference to them before their grief messing them up. I'm intrigued by sort-pf-a-triangle and also Mother's and Jackie's relationship. Tentatively interested in where the lung part is going

I am loving this so far!

I firmly believe Magos is suffering from grief induced psychosis.

Much credit to the author because every scene with the king had me cringing physically and so unsettled. Such an interesting and unique monster.

Is it really dead?

Also, I’m very unsure of Jackie. Why would she tell Magi’s this legend and then try to like take it away and claim she shouldn’t feed the lung? I feel like she knew what Magos would do. Seems like cruel intent maybe.

I am loving this so far, haven't read something like this is a while. Curious to see how the story continues through the other characters POVs. Is the lung really dead?

So far, I just think it is ok. I loved first couple chapters and the last chapter. The chapters in between were intriguing and I was never bored, but they weren't exceptional either.

I think I might be a bit desensitised from all other weird books, but it just doesn't feel weird enough for me. Maybe it is the pacing or the diction.

Regardless, what I really like is 'quiet' horror of it. The deterioration of Magos mind is hinted in a way that isn't super in your face even when it is her pov. I also like the sense of distance between the characters and the reader, and the way different expressions of grief is portrayed to us.

The beginning scenes of this book were almost too much for me, but I’m glad I kept going! This book is giving weird horror vibes and I’m into it. The relationships portrayed in the book and how each character handles grief is very interesting. I’m most excited to hear from Joseph’s view. He seems the most normal to me, but maybe I’m wrong. Haven’t read anything like this before