Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich

19 reviews

lost_library's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Raises some really thought-provoking images and questions that stay with you after finishing the book. It’s so well written and chock-full of beautiful symbolism; I feel like I could read it 10 more times and catch more details and parallels every time. Chilling and so good!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

vickymcckey's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

I tried to like this book, I really did. I like the idea, conceptually, but the execution felt off somehow. There were so many elements and characters that didn’t feel connected, and the world as a whole felt empty.

There is no real explanation behind the de-evolution that takes place, or the existence of the “Mother” character. Cedar is not a scientist, and the situation is very apocalyptic, so i don’t expect much, but it felt weird to me that there was minimal reaction other than fear about what’s happening to the women.

Cedar as a character feels unrealistic, though that may be because of the lack of world building. The writing style was also a little flowery for my taste, but that is definitely just a matter of opinion. This book has been on my tbr for a while; I’m disappointed this is how it turned out. I should just read the Handmaid’s Tale instead. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual content and Torture

insanebookperson's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

scholastic_squid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic

spookyaz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

raptorq's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Violence and Blood

professor_jango's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Miscarriage, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic

lamegod's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Confinement, Torture, Kidnapping, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail

badmom's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racism, Violence, Murder, and Abandonment

Minor: Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Grief, and Religious bigotry

rachaelwho's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Narration by the author is great.
I think the people who didn't like this book wanted it to be spookier and more sci-fi. This is a book about motherhood, womanhood, pregnancy, autonomy, family, ancestry, and what we owe each other. Authoritarianism and institutionalization, too. It is also about climate and catastrophe, near-future dystopia. The sci-fi conceit isn't superfluous, but this isn't quite "genre fiction" and if you wanted to get into that, I guess you probably wouldn't love this one. Reviews hung up on the "science" of the setting not making sense are... Really stunningly, jaw-droppingly missing the forest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Deportation