Reviews tagging 'Violence'

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

5 reviews

alexiconic's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

i truly can see why it’s a good book. it just wasn’t for me. 

by and large, i did not enjoy reading this book. the twists were underwhelming, and i felt no connection to our main character and narrator. for me, it felt like this was a book too light on plot to be a good action book and too light on character to be a good character study.  it was too light on the science and references to be a non-fiction informed book, but too explicit in its references to be fully narrative. that said, i like the attempt to connect science to human experience. i’m very much about that and i’ve loved this exact combination in the past. it just didn’t work for me in this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

studiomikarts's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I picked up this book after seeing it on a list of fiction for vegans and noting its good reviews. It ended up being exactly the kind of book I wanted, full of compassion for animals, but not blatantly catering to only a vegan readership. This book is for ANYONE who likes good writing, compelling mystery, and bittersweet endings. It's hard to say more, because it's such a well-written book, I don't want to give anything away. Let it suffice to say I absolutely devoured this story and I think you will, too!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Bullying, Sexual content, Violence, and Pregnancy

zara89's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent

don't read this book if you will find descriptions of animal testing distressing

oneinamili's review against another edition

challenging informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Not for me. I did not care about the characters. I didn't find the narrator voice gripping. I like strong emotional impact and the moments that were supposed to be emotional just didn't impact me. I liked the concept and support the message but that's as far as it goes.

I saw no need for the graphic animal cruelty other than for shock value. The descriptions of the labs and animal experiments were cruel, but not graphic, and they still worked. So why did I need to read such detailed cat deaths?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny and Rape

laurxndx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma

Minor: Death of parent