Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

115 reviews

helenleone's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

syddevo's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A common review I've seen about this book is that you can't really describe it in a good enough way, you just have to read it. Now that I have finished the book, I understand this statement entirely. I would HIGHLY recommend reviewing content warnings if you have any strong stances on topics you do not wish to read about.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Car accident and Abandonment

floressius's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail

ahoyitsjoy's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Such a good book. Very confusing, but everything comes together well in the end. I found the librarians, and especially Carolyn, so fascinating. The book almost never explicitly tells you what's going on with her, but there's so much between what's said and unsaid that makes her one of the most interesting characters I've ever read about. The writing is so good at effortlessly moving between brutal violence and horror, absurd humor, and brief moments of quiet contemplation of what it means to be human. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Genocide, Excrement, Vomit, Car accident, and War

pinkyoshi's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Car accident

katieo156's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

This was baffling. I'm not sure I truly liked a single character- Erwin was someone you liked against your own better judgement, and Steve was so clearly a plot device masquerading as a character

which makes sense!

that he didn't really reach personhood for me. I disliked

Father's characterization after resurrection- even with Carolyn in his place power wise it was too strong of a switch to friendly, humorous Dad, especially after we got to see him as "Mr. Black" where he looks at Carolyn with love exactly one time.

It took me forever to get through for a story I was enjoying, or at least intrigued by, but when I finished it I immediately recommended it to three people with strong stomachs. I do like a book with cold divinity, a horror twist, and foreshadowing that makes you pause in disbelief/anger/amusement once it clicks, so in that sense, this book was right up my alley. I'm glad I went into it blind outside of "it was weird" because I got to feel out every inch of weirdness myself. This is one of those books that feels like it fell into the author's head fully formed because I can't understand how the hell he fit all of it in there in the first place. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

tetrootz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bookishfabledfiction's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow! What a book. I have never read anything like it. 

The Library at Mount Char is original, unique, weird, funny, mysterious, violent, captivating, and just plain smart. I was even more impressed when I found out that the author, Scott Hawkins, is an IT guy who, aside from the Library at Mount Char, only ever published technical books. 

The less you know before you start reading, the better! 

I HIGHLY recommend this book! Scott Hawkins, please write more!!! 

...genuine emotion is the very essence of self. It cannot ever be unfelt, cannot be ignored, cannot even be rechanneled for very long.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

abookwormspov's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This was absolutely insane. Deeply unsettling. And it ruled.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

carbs666's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Ok first of all: huge TW for literally every thing you could possibly imagine and a bunch of stuff you couldn't. Now I'm going to try to describe what I liked and disliked without spoilers, which is difficult so bear with me.

I liked how conversationally the book is written, how wacky the characters are (real people are wacky so this made them really whole to me), and how even when the narrative is taken over by one character's POV it maintains a good omniscient remove. I also liked how intricate the book was and how the author released just enough information about the central mystery to keep you paying attention. There are no throw-away scenes in this book; absolutely everything matters.

The core thing I didn't like about the book is that I thought the final act was a bit drawn out, and while I did think Carolyn experienced some growth of character I felt the implication that things work out for her was somewhat.....unearned? Absolute power corrupts absolutely and all that. 

Anyways, if you like weird-ass books and aren't troubled by some of the most horrifying, traumatic shit that can happen to a person, you're gonna love this book! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail