Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Cantik itu Luka by Eka Kurniawan

12 reviews

emilyberrios's review against another edition

challenging dark funny informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I don't regret reading this book, but it was certainly a challenge, and I do not plan on ever re-reading it.

In simplest terms: If toxic masculinity were a book, it would be this one. If you thought this book was about the agency of strong beautiful women... you are very wrong (as I was). 

A more complex perspective: This book could also be interpreted as a metaphor. The female characters have no agency, no control over their futures or their bodies. Their beauty is to be brutalized and fetishized. These beautiful women could be a metaphor for Indonesia as a country and the various powers or men who colonized it, waged war against it, loved it, hated it, abused it. While the story telling is not linear (and sometimes very difficult to follow) generally speaking, this is a historical fiction in a magical realism setting which follows generations of women who originate from a girl taken into servitude as the concubine of a Dutch man, a plantation owner. This initiates the overarching plot of revenge, but all the subplots as well. The colonial identity of a country is generally mired in trauma and abuse, and this book reflects that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, and War

neridah's review against another edition

dark informative sad tense 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

2.25

I regret reading this book 

There is interesting historical and cultural information in here

But it's not worth it 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

thursdd4y's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

allyem_reads's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Classism

joygarcialim's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War

imaginefishes's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

4.75

The story is told non-linearly, with a giant ensemble cast of characters who have someone all been interwoven together into the same family, and yet, the story does not become drab nor difficult to follow. Despite the dark matters (such as rape) described in the book, the tone of writing remains lighthearted and almost cheeky, which makes it for an easy read (though the normalising of violence, sexual or otherwise, towards women may be difficult to stomach at times). The story is entertaining to the end, and seeing all the final pieces fall into place describing the choices of characters from chapters ago was somewhat satisfying, but also mildly disappointing due to the reveal of the central piece.

Overall, this is a story about myth and legend set in a real-life historical timeline, where the Indonesian experience of war, decolonialisation, and post-independence is reflected through a variety of characters symbolising these differing themes. My (brief) learning of Indonesian history in school definitely aided in my following of the timeline, and I would recommend readers familiarise themselves with these topics prior to taking on this book. Besides showcasing the overall population-wide experience, the book also depicts the micro-perspective of Dewi Ayu and the tragic fate of her family, which when combined with the humorous choice of phrases used in the book, somehow allows me as the reader not to feel sympathy for them, but rather, view their demise as consequences of their own actions.

Truly, no character in this story is innocent. Crime, immorality, and violence are the bread and butter of the plot, and there are more than necessary descriptions of fecal matter and death. Though, I did not find these descriptions to be overtly vulgar as this diction fits into the overall tone of the book.

I had no clue what this book would be about when I first read it, but I do not regret picking it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Bullying and Grief

acecatlady's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.75

Do you like Isabelle Allende? Can you handle stories of the brutalization of Korean women by the Japanese in the early 1900s? Then this (probably not fiction enough) story about 20th century Indonesia might just be for you.

Not for the faint of heart. It is a fantastically raw magical realism take on colonialist and post-colonialist violence. On the horrors of humanity. But it can also be flippant and funny. A lot of very time-specific stuff and culturally specific stuff that if you've spent time in SE Asia are interesting to read like this. 

I think people really focus on the male/female aspect of this, and I get that, totally. Sexual assault and rape and love or desire as a sickness are a big part of it, but you really can't ignore the colonialism inherent in the story. It at the very foundation of the curse. 

Honestly, a lot of modern western horror WISH it went this hard. If you have triggers? Make sure to check the content warnings cuz this book has all of them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Genocide, Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Xenophobia, Abortion, Sexual harassment, and War

bestiality and forced prostitution, shockingly not menu options, anyhow, both pretty damn present early on

issyd23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Unlike anything I’ve ever read - completely disgusting but also moving at times. Very clever how Eka waves in political and social history of Indo 4⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Classism

thegodfather's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism

tashadhyani's review

challenging dark funny slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War