Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

Gottes Werk und Teufels Beitrag by John Irving

23 reviews

m1923's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion and War

Moderate: Incest and Racism

msorce's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Very through provoking but also light hearted and funny at times. An all around great book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Abortion

granasys's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

This book could be talked about for hours, as it portrays both nuanced characters and societal issues, while having a unique atmosphere. 

What got to me is the Irving's way of showing close-up examinations at times and drifting away for other, seemingly without regard to the importance of the event. The love triangle was one of the saddest and most realistically portrayed I ever encountered and throughout the story I was naviely hoping that given the author's approach to other issues, it would be solved through polyamory. Was grateful that the queer storyline wasn't the sad one for once.

The themes it tackles, especially abortion rights makes it painfull  relevant as ever. It also touches on racial issues with care.

The story itself only got faster in the last 200 pages, it's not very surprising that I read the first 500 or so in almost 2 months and than the last part in an evening and the morning afterwards. And the way it was tied together made it worth it for sure.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Medical content

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Racism, and Abortion

adrionmacaron's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Blood, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Incest, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

balgor's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Abortion

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: War

caroline2499's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

Such an impactful read, especially considering… recent events. Took a long time to make my way through it, and it was worth every minute.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion

miriamjones's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Abortion

Minor: Addiction, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

library_dreamer's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Racism, Rape, and Abortion

rockettemorton's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

4.75

A masterpiece. Ain't no two way about it. Irving's cashmere-smooth prose makes this slow-burner of a narrative light sea-breeze. It's not particularly poetic or anything. Just thoroughly pleasant to experience the work of such a maestro. The characters feel, frankly, more real – more realistic – than people I know from real life. Not in the predictable sort of way. No, Irving simply accounts for everything and never leaves anything out of consideration. Furthermore, despite handling several very grim themes, he neither glosses over them, discarding their importance, nor does he focus on them to the point where it takes over the story. He acknowledges that shitty things exist in the world and that people react differently to them. This is despite how creative and lovely the characters – and the world they inhabit – are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Medical content, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Alcohol

jedore's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Those who plead for the lives of the unborn should consider the lives of the living.

I remember loving the Cider House Rules movie, but don't remember it being like what I just read. Let's just say this book is not for the Karens of the world. 😄 Abortion, prostitution, bestiality, incest, domestic violence...this book will offend and/or trigger pretty much anyone whose mind isn't pretty wide open.

Fortunately, mine is so I truly enjoyed it. John Irving is an amazing WRITER (as opposed to just an author). He pulls you in and takes you on quite the wild ride.

His character development is top tier. Every one of the characters comes to life—I could see, hear and feel them with little effort. Being that the story is primarily character driven, I especially appreciated this aspect of his writing.

Having read this on my Kindle, I didn't realize how long it was until I started it. If you're not a speed reader, it will take you some time to read at 963 pages. I fought it a bit at first, but then settled into to a place where I savored it.

Looking forward to watching the (award winning) movie again...now I'm intrigued as to how they handled all of the super edgy content.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, and Racism

Minor: Rape