Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Diecinueve garras y un pájaro oscuro by Agustina Bazterrica

18 reviews

charmainelim's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

2.0

Had this actually done something to explore the difficult themes within each story, maybe it would have been better. What it did was use really disturbing concepts to barely touch the surface of the story while never making it feel like there was truly commentary or a sense of completion. Also the SA the children went through was entirely unnecessary, even less so when the vile nature of the topic was barely even touched upon each time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide

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

notcharlottete's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

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

evelynsky's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This book is strange and powerful. Every couple of pages, a whole new world.

I admire Bazterria's ability to wiggle her way into the minds of so many characters, each with their own humor, their own vices, their own downfalls.

Though not as openly graphic as the author's other novel, Tender is the Flesh, this book is definitely still for those who wish to succumb to the poetic power of the dark and bizarre, and not for the faint of heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence

readingrampage's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence

lovelylilelle's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging dark

5.0

For fans of Samanta Schweblin and Mariana Enríquez, Agustina Bazterrica is another Argentine powerhouse of feminist literary horror.  Much like her counterparts, Bazterrica uses horror to talk about violence against women, in many forms.  This well-rounded collection includes twenty unique and memorable stories touching on relationships, desire, Catholicism, control, endings, and more.  These stories are bold and breathtaking, dripping with blood.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Pedophilia, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abortion