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paigeturner26's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
This is not a for fun book.gabi_tron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and War
emily_madcharo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder
Moderate: Genocide, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt
eleni14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, and Sexual harassment
amvs1111's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence
juanis450's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
m_m_tucker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Rape and Torture
zgriptsuroica's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
mgerboc's review against another edition
- 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
Vargas Llosa (himself a somewhat controversial figure) does an incredible job of stripping away the veneer of the cult of personality surrounding Rafael Trujillo, exposing him for the power-seeking pig that he was, and demonstrating the spineless sycophancy of the supposed greatest minds of the nation surrounding him during his reign of terror. After time, the consolidation of power, backed by the threat of horrendous and violent reprisals, casts the focus of that power into an ever-devolving state of self-righteousness and easy justification for all actions because there are no consequences.
I think what was done superbly well was the telling of the small, individual stories of the victims of this system, and the long-lasting effects it had (and still has) on people. This sort of corruption is not only political and economic, but emotional and spiritual.
About halfway through you figure out how it's going to end, and it's no less heartbreaking for that. The narrative structure allows for a taught, dread-inducing story that makes the reader (or at least me) think - what kind of system do I live in and how does it shape who I am?
Anyway, if you're a fan of historical fiction, Cold War politics, Latin American history, drama, reflections on family/power/sex, etc., definitely give this a read.
Graphic: Racism, Rape, and Torture
hannahlamond's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Genocide, Rape, and Torture
very upsetting and graphic content throughout