Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica

11 reviews

breenickie's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Was a short story collection. Combination of horrifying and attention grabbing. Very intriguing, good spooky vibes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

lexcellent's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

masonwe's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

1.0

I really did not like this I almost dnf’d it

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

priscillarobock's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

kjlewis494's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Stalking, and Death of parent

iseefirede's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

3.0

A decent collection of spooky short stories. The sentences can be very long and that made it a little harder for me to read. Given how short the stories were it was hard to appreciate them completely. Some of the stories felt rushed and would have been better flushed out more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Death, Grief, and Murder

booksnbrooches's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

1.0

Based on for my personal enjoyment and rating of these stories, I hated it. 

This book is filled with incomplete stories and trauma porn (specifically of women and children ). I guess if you want a really bad time, go ahead and read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

oliviagarby's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Dysphoria

mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

minimicropup's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Ruthless, pensive, uneasy. 

So I don't spoil these layered, symbolic, and sometimes bizarre stories, I'm going to reduce them to their most literal base note:
1-An upstairs neighbour commits suicide 

2-A teacher takes an unhealthy interest in a young girl’s bunny 

3-Does a taxi driver with perfect nails hide a dirty secret? 

4-The five destructive final stages of break-up grief 

5-An alien or denial? 

6-A NY transplant worries the city has infiltrated her brain 

7-A child just wants to be close to their parents 

8-The last act before joining the twenty-seven club 

9-The subtly of the wolf 

10-Literary cat vengeance 

11-The danger of neglecting a grieving child planning a trip to the moon 

12-Celebrity obsession takes a toll 

13-Sitting on a bench observing a painting 

14-A family tradition must never be tainted with tears 

15-Circular aspirations 

16-A sick abused teen under a hole in the roof 

17-Torturing a caged bird while feeding those in the park 

18-An examination of stained glass 

19-A double-date to see a band in an undisclosed location

20-Being forced to work late puts a woman in danger

🐺🐕Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags: 

🤔 I think these are meaningful but varied stories, so I doubt they will all be impactful or even understandable for all readers. I enjoyed the ones that had more of a direct plot (6, 15, 19, and 20), but I also didn't mind reading ones with a style or themes I would normally dislike (9, 13, 17, and 18). They're all short so even if you don't resonate with some, it's not a huge time investment. 

👍 Metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, irony, and allegory abound. None of the tales (even those that went right over my head) felt pretentious, weird for the sake of weird, forced edgy, or word salad. It was that I didn't have the education or life experience (thankfully?) to "get" it. Most of the stories were subjective so the reader and their interpretation can be a vital part of the experience. 

🥺 These are not like Tender is the Flesh. Any commonalities are in writing style and the ability of the author to make familiar unsettling feelings emerge from seemingly absurd unfamiliar moments. I would guess that even if you loved Tender is the Flesh, you won't necessarily not enjoy this. But if you enjoyed this, you will likely enjoy Tender is the Flesh too. 

😟 I read these all in one sitting without breaks and felt a little low-key anxious after, but very happy to be back in my world. Check the content warnings and be in the mental space for it going in. 

Mood Reading Match Up: 

• Highly symbolic, layered stories
• Themes and commentary about assumption, retribution, and abuse from (and abuse of) friends, family, acquaintances, strangers, society, and values. 
• Bizarro fiction involving elements of absurdism, satire, and the grotesque
• Deep, dark, confusing, unsettling, cathartic tales

Content Heads-Up: Suicide. Child abuse (sexual; insinuated on page or described via symbolism). Rape. Murder. Suicidal ideation and planning. Death of a spouse. Grief. Alcohol use (self-medication). Body shaming. Body horror (self-mutilation). Termination of pregnancy (involuntary). Animal cruelty and death (bird). Misogyny.

Format: Scribd Digital

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Misogyny, and Abortion