Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Καντόρας: Οι γυναίκες που τραγουδούσαν by Caro De Robertis

128 reviews

hannahleewhite's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

biblioghoul's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicide

Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Confinement, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Outing, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

tracey1981's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

This is a beautiful book about friendship and building intentional community during hard times, in this case the dictatorship in Uruguay in the 1970s. 5 women friends, all cantoras (which means singer, but was also code for lesbian in that era), vacation together at Cabo Polonio, eventually buying a vacation home there that they visit over the years. The book sees them go through transitions in life, politics, relationships with one another as friends and sometimes as lovers, as well as with other lovers and family members, over the years and decades that follow. It’s well-written and gave me insight in to a history I didn’t know. 

Probably a 5 star book but the experience was 4-4.5 stars for me because it might have been the wrong time for me to read a heavier book and I found it very hard to stay in to the audio even though the narration was good. I wish I’d read it on paper, maybe at a time when I could handle the harder parts of the story better. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Infidelity

dasweinz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide

etinney's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Trafficking

asolis's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Cantoras seamlessly melds the stories of five queer women to explore the history of Uruguay, queer joy, life under a dictatorship, and the importance of community and making space for yourself in the world. This book runs the gamut of emotions, but leaves you with a sense of hope. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment

Minor: Cursing and Death of parent

micropunk's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Lesbophobia

c3poth3dr0id's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

To me, this book is perfect; poetic and powerful, I lost myself in its characters, in the brutal repression of the Uruguayan dictatorship, in the poetic prose of its beautifully complex characters navigating love as closeted lesbians. I love each one of the characters so deeply. 
I can’t remember the last book that made me cry this much or laugh or burn with desire. 
TW: sucicide and conversion therapy. De Robertis shared these tragedies with such a gentle embrace. I’ll cherish this book. I’ll cherish Malena, Flaca, La Venus, Paz, and Romina and all their lovers, the good and the bad, the caring and the callous. I’ll hold onto the rebellion and the resistance against the dictatorship; the hope for brighter days as well as the heavy hopelessness that is hard to combat when every shred of freedom has been taken from a people. I love this book cover to cover.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

genizah's review against another edition

4.0

Sits squarely in the center of underground lesbians + South American dictatorships, without any real surprises. But they're good genres, and it's artfully done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Rape, Torture, and Police brutality

rubyblueb's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism and Suicide