Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

La sombra del viento by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

46 reviews

viscog30's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Decent storyline, but includes heaps of misogyny and violence against women. Perpetrators of violence against women are portrayed in a sympathetic light, and their behavior is largely ignored or excused. Women are also objectified and sexualized constantly. 2 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Murder

Moderate: Rape

booknerdwithlipstick's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Incest, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, Dementia, and Alcohol

Minor: Forced institutionalization

meguniqueuser's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

1.5

Very melodramatic. The main character Daniel is overly emotional and falls in love with almost every woman he meets and they in turn are charmed by him. 

Every woman falls madly in love with Julian and is obsessed with him.
The criticisms that are thrown at romantic novels by female authors all apply here. 

While the writing is poetic and evocative, the story lacks much meaning. Yet the author upholds the plot like it is the most sacred of texts. Maybe it was the audio I listened to with piano interludes that made it even more overdramatic. 

Perhaps if you enjoy gloomy mellow drama you might enjoy this, but I don’t. I especially didn't like that the author describes women as sexual objects, plot devices, or the butt of jokes. 

There are so many endings and epilogues, it was worst than the last Lord of the Rings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, and Police brutality

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Sexism, and Sexual content

readandfindout's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

3.5

Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 3 stars
Characters: 2 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Excrement and Death of parent

seforaflorian's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bookish_bry's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.25

This book was very good when it was good, but honestly dragged a bit in some places. The story and mystery is great, but there felt like there was a lot of filler. Also, I was often ripped out of the narrative when we were listening to a part of the story from a particular character's perspective and suddenly zoomed out to third person omniscient giving us information that the character we were following could not know. Sometimes that sort of thing works, but it didn't really feel like it worked here. I also wish we'd spent a little more time getting to know Bea. There were also a few annoying loose ends.

Wasn't... Fermín wanted for murder? Clara just disappeared into nothing. even though I expected her to at least have some baring on the plot at some point.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Misogyny

kiana_hi's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Bullying, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment

amhud1030's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Infertility, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual harassment

bookwormcat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

This was a great book. Beautiful prose, compelling characters and a fascinating mystery. Dark and sad but with moments of real humour. I loved it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Incest, Excrement, and War

kell_xavi's review against another edition

medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Classism

Minor: Excrement