Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed, by Mariana Enríquez

102 reviews

cinnamonskye's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Suicide, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Physical abuse, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

lala_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.5

…not quite 5 because some of the stories were just a little too bizarre /made me feel a bit sick.

By far the stories that stick with me the most are:
- Where are you dear heart (that final line 😮)
- The Lookout 
- No Birthdays or Baptisms 
- Kids who come back 
- Meat 

Also, never did I think I’d read a book where someone pooping in the street would be one of the least weird things to happen! This happened in two of the stories!!!

I loved the spookiness and the pacing of these short stories. The imagery 10/10! I definitely need to venture into short story territory especially for horror because I’m amazed at by how much mystery and drama can be conjured up in a few pages!

I’d love to see these stories turned into a tv series! I’m definitely going to check out “Things we lost in the fire”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Injury/injury detail, Transphobia, Cannibalism, Suicide, Child death, Mental illness, Self harm, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Excrement, Blood, and Classism

cantfindmybookmark's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Pedophilia, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Death, Drug abuse, Excrement, Rape, Murder, Misogyny, Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Transphobia

alreinwarth's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Vomit, Body shaming, Child death, Cannibalism, Fatphobia, Excrement, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Self harm, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Death, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pedophilia

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Violence

Minor: Lesbophobia and Transphobia

agat's review against another edition

Flemme et j'ai pas les références pour comprendre vraiment de quoi il s'agit : de l'histoire de l'Argentine. Une fois que je serais plus informée je comprendrai sûrement la profondeur de l'ouvrage et pourrai en reprendre la lecture. Mais pour l'instant ce ne sont que des creepy pastas peu originaux et sans grand intérêt

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Abandonment, Vomit, Violence, Stalking, Grief, Excrement, Body horror, Blood, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/injury detail, Gore, Drug abuse, Death, Colonisation, and Child death

cosyskog's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories, and it definitely needs to come with multiple content warnings. However, maybe the ugliness of some of the characters is the real horror, the unspoken realisation that they are just like people we already know. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Child death, Child abuse, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Excrement, Grief, Body shaming, Drug use, Sexual assault, Suicide, Ableism, Classism, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Cursing, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, and Violence

Minor: Car accident, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Police brutality

jojobings's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Abandonment, Bullying, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Slavery

nathalie_tl's review against another edition

2.75

really mixed for me? a lot of stories started off with a lot of potential and the creepy, morbid vibe i really love, but the endings were often rushed and didn't deliver on the tension the stories built up. i will say though that Where Are You, Dear Heart? and Meat were excellent, but other than that i felt mostly meh. 

also had to bring rating down because the transphobic slurs were not it. and do check content warnings in general if you're interested in reading this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Death, Drug abuse, Cannibalism, Gore, Addiction, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Transphobia, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

denlia's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Animal death, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Excrement, Homophobia, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, and Transphobia

cady_sass's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I never read anthologies, because I know myself and I want more depth, more character development, a plot arc. But this book has been calling to me. I’m very glad I finally picked it up. A couple of the short stories I hated, most of them I loved. It feels like the translator really did the original work justice, the prose is gorgeous and vivid and gritty, but someone who’s read the original Spanish will have to say for sure. There’s certainly some triggering imagery so proceed with caution. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Classism, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Abandonment, Animal death, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Excrement, Injury/injury detail, Death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Violence, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual assault