Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias

76 reviews

nashaytreads's review

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.5

A beautifully written, tragic quest for a new start and escape. Mario’s journey just progressively escalated, and just like the characters, there were moments when I wanted to stop reading because I could see things getting worse, but was compelled to keep going anyway. 

Even though I saw the “twist” pretty far in advance, it was still heart wrenching all the same. I don’t think it was necessarily supposed to be a surprise, just…impactful.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Death of parent

englethebert's review

dark tense

• 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

3.5

Plods along in the middle but starts and ends strong. Characters are despicable interesting in their actions and interactions with one another, but struggle with internal growth

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Deportation

Minor: Addiction and Infidelity

ohsnapsabrina93_'s review

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

If you don't like gory details, don't read the book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

ferns80's review

This book started off quite grim but about a third the way through there was a scene which I started reading and couldn't get through. Thought it was going to be more of a thriller but there were some more horror elements for me. I love horror but certain things I don't like and this included it so didn't finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, and Pregnancy

amandadelbrocco's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

 Maybe not my genre but I really did not enjoy this. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, and Classism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

sofiacis_7's review

mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Murder

victoriarose12's review against another edition

dark sad 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Violence

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

kdwhite's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism

Minor: Suicide attempt

questionablereads's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.25

Dark and captivating story that follows Mario, a man who has dealt with unbelievable tragedy and battles that sadness with bad decision making, while also being hyper aware of that fact. I felt for Mario, hell, I cried for Mario. This book made me feel everything and I loved the Spanglish and Puerto Rican culture woven within the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, and Blood

cassiecollins's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This had a really interesting rhythm to it, where we'd go from scenes of relative mundanity to hyper-stylized violence and back again. It worked to lull you into some sense of security, humanizing the deep sorrow so many of the characters face, before striking you with the depths of cruelty even the most good-intentioned people can fall to. I will say, Mario's grief over Anita and Melisa, while completely understandable, became far too repetitious for my tastes. It blocked out other opportunities for other character-building, such as strengthening my belief in his and Brian's friendship leading to the ending. Just as well, I found Juanca a much more engaging character. It almost felt like the book was way more about him than Mario, who was just along for the ride, and I think that's what made the ending feel so abrupt to me. Overall, though, the writing was solid and the characterizations were on point.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs and Murder