Reviews tagging 'Death'

Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin by Megan Rosenbloom

51 reviews

gkaltam's review against another edition

dark informative slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

deathlorist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny informative mysterious medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Medical content

percy_march's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Overall, this was a pretty good read. It definitely got better as the book progressed, but I did become very invested in and entertained by the stories told by Rosenbloom. We got the French Revolution, we got body-snatchers, we got death positivity, antique book loving, and discussions of body materiality.

What really pissed me off though is her dismissal of any other viewpoints on anthropodermic bibliopegy. She would use any topic to bring up how books containing human remains shouldn't be re-intered and stayed remarkably impartial - uncharacteristically so - when bringing up NAGPRA and repatriation. It was very... "neo-liberal millennial" style of speaking on the issues of historic racism, sexism, and medical abuse. 

Also, if you try to go for the audiobook - the narrator kept doing accents for people she was quoting/referencing, and it was too much. It really, really needed to stop.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Sexual violence and Terminal illness

In-depth discussion of the process of tanning leather

apersonfromflorida's review

dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Body horror, Racism, and Murder

Minor: Genocide, Sexual violence, and Antisemitism

nekoshka's review against another edition

dark emotional funny fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Racism and Slavery

littleyarngoblin's review against another edition

dark informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

A deeply researched, empathetic look into the history and science of books bound in human skin. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, Violence, and War

Minor: Antisemitism, Medical content, Murder, and Classism

gracie_reads_everything's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious medium-paced

4.0

Very fascinating book on a macabre subject. Adds contexts to these objects and rehumanizes remains in a medical setting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical content, and Classism

Minor: Genocide, Gore, Racism, and Medical trauma

internetdarling's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Medical content

edenofalltrades's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Genocide

sistersin124's review

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed this book and the way the author presented the information. I will say there are some sections that are designed to provoke thought and can be uncomfortable. The focus is very heavy on the people who created the books and the ethics around it all but I also feel like she gives adequate discussion on those used to create the books as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail