Reviews with content warning for Confinement - A Short Stay In Hell

This concise 104-page book shines brilliantly. Drawing inspiration from Borges' story "The Library of Babel," "A Short Stay in Hell" is not only thought-provoking and entertaining but also deeply moving. The desire for the character to escape, the agony of repetition, the struggle of loving without direction – all resonate profoundly.

The narrative unfolds in a version of hell, one of many possible afterlife destinations. We follow Soren Johansson, a Mormon man in life, as he grapples with his fate in the afterlife for not adhering to the Zoroastrian religion. Sent to hell, he finds himself trapped in an infinite library filled with nonsensical books. Unable to die permanently, he must locate the book detailing his life story from any perspective to secure his release.

In his journey, Soren forges relationships of both friends and enemies, experiences heartbreak, and faces the challenges of eternal love in a place where nothing lasts. The fleeting joy of a profound connection shattered by human flaws and the quest for significance in a world devoid of meaning leaves a lasting impact. The quest for lost love mirrors the elusive search for his life story, adding layers of emotional depth.

"A Short Stay In Hell" is a hauntingly beautiful read that resonates with all. It's a must-read for everyone!

Content Warnings

stephanieluxton's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? No

4.0

This book was not what I was expecting which isn't surprising since I went in totally blind without reading the description. I think that was an enjoyable way to read it, honestly!

But the book is about a mormon man named Soren who tried to live his best life then dies of cancer and finds himself in hell alongside quite a lot of other people who also were pretty regular people. Hell for Soren isn't the fire and brimstone you'd expect but instead is a basically eternal library containing every book that could theoretically exist and the only way the inhabitants can leave is by finding a books that perfectly portrays the story of their lives. This isn't exactly a spoiler, but contrary to the title, his stay is not short.

This book was interesting because it feels like it's more about immortality than anything else (because when you're already dead, you don't exactly die). I found this book to be sad. It explores themes of regarding madness of groups of people, love, loss, and being faced with an impossible task.

I don't know what the genre of this book is. There's a few parts that feel like horror but most of the book has a very somber feeling to it.

It's a short read so I definitely recommend picking it up. It's definitely different!

Content Warnings

watermelleon's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? No

4.5

An absolutely bizarre thought experiment that filled me with a weird sense of dread and also reflection. I feel a bit of similarity to "I have no mouth but I must scream" in terms of the dark tone and feelings of existentialism faced by the characters.

Think that mental image of falling will stay with me for some time.

Some parts were beautifully written, and I have some lovely highlights I will definitely be coming back to! Overall a really good novella that got me gripped, and gave me much to think about. It has also put the library of babel on my reading list!

Content Warnings

barelyalex's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

So engrossing that I specifically chose to read this because it was short but immediately wish it were longer.

Content Warnings

vyralvyris's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

A fun, introspective read if you have an interest in the concept of the afterlife. Just wasn't my cup of tea.
Very well written and captivating outside of personal preference to subject matter.

Content Warnings

natahoochie's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

h4ppycupcake's review against another edition

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dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

This was the most depressing and nerve wracking book I’ve read in a long time. I do not recommend reading this if you’re having a crisis of spirituality, or if you have general anxiety. It was well written, but at what cost to the reader? I feel uneasy now that’s finished. How does one pack such an incredible amount of existential dread and terror into only 110 pages? I won’t be reading anything else by this author, lest he sends me into a panic.

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