Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez

140 reviews

laran_s's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, and Trafficking

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

 The Dangers of Smoking in Bed is a short story collection that falls firmly within the horror genre, which is probably my least favourite genre and something I'm unlikely to read unless committing to a reading challenge requires me to do so. The gore and body horror was stomach churning at times, but so too were the very real horrors that far too many women experience - rape, emotional abuse, and domestic violence, to name just a few. This book did get me thinking about the links between horror as a genre and real-life horrors. Using my (limited) knowledge of Argentinan history to consider the themes and messages of these stories definitely increased my appreciation of them. But I'm unlikely to become a horror fan any time soon. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Trafficking

scarredman's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Suicide

Moderate: Suicide, Violence, and Cannibalism

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

lizetteratura's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

extremely biased ranking:

1. Our Lady of the Quarry
2. Meat
3. Back When We Talked to the Dead
4. The Cart
5. The Lookout
6. No Birthdays or Baptisms
7. Rambla Triste 
8.  Where Are You, Dear Heart? 
9.  Angelita Unearthed  
10. The Well
11. Kids Who Come Back
12. The Dangers of Smoking in Bed

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Self harm

Moderate: Pedophilia, Suicide, and Trafficking

Minor: Rape, Transphobia, and Kidnapping

wilfredamadeus's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt

paveunpaved's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

Not a book with pleasant themes, and not one for the faint-hearted. I really enjoyed how twisted a lot of the stories were, but if you're not a fan of ghost stories then I'd steer clear.

Favourite story: kids who come back

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Sexual content, Trafficking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Pedophilia

Minor: Transphobia

miraveta's review against another edition

dark

4.0

kinda funny how 'the dangers of smoking in bed' is the least interesting story in this. I've probably got to go back and read this all in Spanish sometime.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Gore

Moderate: Pedophilia, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Self harm, Sexual violence, Excrement, and Trafficking

bookforestsprite's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Ive never read anything like this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy

gusabus's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.5

This was an absolutely mesmerising read. It's disturbing, chilling, and entrancing; I came away from each story a little shaken and thinking about it before sleep, which is what I want from an anthology. Highly recommended for any fans of unnatural literature.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking

Moderate: Child death, Pedophilia, and Rape

apthompson's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail