Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx

11 reviews

fatfrog's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Murder, and Outing

Minor: Blood

angelo_vossen's review against another edition

emotional sad 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

3.75

Unlike me on any other day, I‘d like to give this book a short review, just as short (and sad) as this book was.

"Brokeback Mountain" emerges as a compelling narrative against the backdrop of the rugged American West. Annie Proulx skillfully crafts a tale of forbidden love between Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, their relationship defying societal norms and expectations. Through vivid storytelling, Proulx delves into themes of yearning, identity, and the struggle for acceptance. The novel's exploration of human emotion and the complexities of desire captivates readers, leaving a lasting impression that lingers in the mind.

For me as a reader who‘s first language is not English, the accents and slang were tough at times - but it definitely made sense in the context and made the story feel more real and raw. As a huge fan of „Call Me by Your Name“, this book really hit a soft spot in my heart as stories of this kind usually do. The story of „Brokeback Mountain“ kind of resembled the one told in „Call Me by Your Name“ but being yeehaw. The thought of people being in love and not being able to be together due to bad circumstances and standards put upon them by society (no matter in which time or place a story is set) always breaks me and shreds me to pieces.

I can barely imagine the controversy this book has caused when it was released. I have been holding back on watching the movie adaption for forever since I always prefer reading the book a movie is based on first. So now I’m really excited to get into the movie! Fingers are crossed it won‘t turn me into an emotional wreck.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Death and Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Pregnancy

grace_madeleine's review against another edition

4.0

 “There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to believe, but nothing could be done about it, and if you can't fix it you've got to stand it” will probably never leave my mind.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Death

Minor: Violence and Blood

moonbeamdmercutio's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Annie Proulx is going to hell for writing this. Not because it's gay, but because it absolutely ruined my life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Hate crime and Homophobia

Minor: Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

chimichannika's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

I haven’t seen the movie but decided to read this book this year and am so glad I did. Two rural, low-income queer men find connection and love in one another, and are drawn to each other over the years but because of society cannot be together. Brokeback Mountain is a series of short and poignant snapshots throughout their lives with many things unsaid between them and in the narrative, but in a way that works, both from a storytelling perspective and to mirror their own relationship. At times it has beautiful moments of prose and at times is raw and gritty. In only 55 pages Proulx tells a lifelong story of compelling, heartbreaking love. It’s emotive and incredibly sad and definitely worth the read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Biphobia, Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Excrement

alisonfaith426's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, Outing, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

malloyjordans's review against another edition

challenging hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Car accident, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

samchase112's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

A caring and tragic tale of two people who love each other, but can't quite manage to truly be together. Proulx's story is well-written, perfectly paced, and so carefully done. I'm always impressed when a short story manages to convey such emotion and complexity within so little time. This was a fantastic audio listen over a long walk one sunset night, and I'm so glad I experienced the famous film in the original text.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Violence

zombiezami's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

I heard this was sad, but it was really sad. I was in high school when the movie came out, and I never saw it. I really wish people had not made fun of this deeply human story the way they did. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Outing

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent, War, and Classism

curatoriallyyours's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

I have not seen the film so other than knowing it’s about “gay cowboys” I wasn’t sure what to expect. This story broke my heart. I felt for these men who had no way to frame their love for one another because it wasn’t the expected thing. Toxic masculinity and homophobia need to get in the bin! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual content, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use and Alcohol