Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez

23 reviews

mackenzi's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Car accident, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Vomit and Police brutality

Cults using the cover of a dictatorship and the benefits of colonialism to commit attrocities.

plebert's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

This is probably one of the best horror books I’ve ever read. It flew by, despite being 27 hours long. I really liked the narration and the translator did a good job. This book deals with a lot of heavy themes. The horror of the cult is set against the background of the even bigger horror of The Dirty War and the political unrest in Argentina in the 1970s - 1990s. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

This book is very heavy and has a lot of triggers! But it’s very good!

9brightshiners's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This is an intense, extremely violent, and challenging story that spans decades. While often horrifying, this is an extraordinarily well written novel. Gut punching monstrosities live alongside moments of aching loveliness. Families are lost, found, fled from, and reunited. History and living mythology play out on a grand scale. Our Share of Night is unforgettable, for better and worse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Confinement, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Deportation

There are frequent, very graphic descriptions of abusing, torturing, and murdering children throughout the book. There is violence, gore, and blood as well as graphic injuries both accidental and on purpose that are caused by supernatural entities and humans. State violence, kidnappings, and deportations are mentioned throughout the book. In one instance a mass grave is exhumed and studied by forensic archaeologists. There is prejudice, mistreatment, and violence against women, Africans, indigenous South Americans, and frequent use of the f-slur related to homosexuality as well as ableism and one use of the related r-slur. This book deals with period realistic violence but there is also a great deal of abuse, violence, torture, and gore associated with occult rituals specific to the fictional secret society. Also of note: the AIDS epidemic is depicted in this novel.

petr1chors's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and Murder

victor_constantine's review against another edition

mysterious 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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Miscarriage and Car accident

tamtaro's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

If you've been looking for a book that has similar vibes to Suspiria and Hereditary, this is it! The ties to real historical events, the slow realization of the magnitude of all that is horrifically wrong, and the time jumps/different perspectives made this such a delight to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mari1532's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

I listened to this book through my library with Libby.

Brief Summary: Juan is trying to figure out a plan to raise his son, Gaspar while keeping him safe from his in-laws in the wake of his wife, Rosario's, mysterious death. As Juan tries to keep Gaspar from the family's secret society, he farther into its clutches. However, as Gaspar ages, he begins to realize that his family history is far more dangerous than he could have imagined. 

Thoughts: Enríquez is an exceptional writer. The way that this book is so long and has so many different subplots, but there is not a single loose end at the conclusion of the book is truly a triumph. Each of the characters in this book feels like a real person and the personalities and motivations of each produce a strong reaction from the reader. Overall I did not like many of the characters in this book, but I think that how Enríquez wrote each of them, may have been the point. In the world created in this book, people are complicated, and not necessarily meant to be liked. 

My favourite character in the book was Rosario. She was at once entirely relatable being at once loving and dastardly. Her story arch throughout the book was truly what kept me reading even though she was a character in the background of the story, Rosario is very much central to the the plot. I also appreciated how Enríquez allowed Rosario to be her own person and did not let her love for Juan subsume Rosario's whole personality.  

I do not have a lot of experience reading books in the horror genre, but I can safely say that I will continue to read it as long as Enríquez continues to write. I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

cameronkobesauthor's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

karmapen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

oroseo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

incredible. the way each section of the book can stand alone but also informs the reader's understanding of the others. the way

that the darkness parallels the horrors of the time. the way the darkness cannot let any of them go, once in its sight. the way that its claws mark a person deapite a lifetime of evasion.

the author writes with clearness, i found myself flinching as i read.

and there are such beautiful quotes. when you finally get to the part where a character says the title. when you reckon with how horribly disposable every body is. the ways that love is twisted and deployed, the ways love is manipulated and disparaged.

there is a slower section in this novel, one that feels odd but reveals itself as necessary later in the novel. it took me a while to get through that section, but i would recommend actively trying to connect some of the more mysterious things happening to what you've already learned.

i think also, there's plot reasons for this. for the reader to stumble around in this unknowlable universe like Gaspar is. For Juan to finally be protected from our knowling, now that he has closed himself off from the Order

also. AIDS? the horror of aids!!! didn't even expect that. do we call this genre historical horror? 

I am slightly convinced that Rosario's section was written from where she lives in the Darkness. Also, i guess more obviously, that Gaspar has fallen into the same madness fortold by everyone in the Order, because he can't let go of the deaths. the darkness uses Adela to hold him hostage, or something to that affect.

I think one thing i wish i understood more, one thing that maybe a lot of non-Argentine readers of the book might need, is a tad more context on the colonial/racial history of Argentina. anti-indigeneity comes across very clear, and not unexpected, but i guess i just need to read more about who colonized and when. shockingly, lack of Argentine political knowledge does not hold one back, despite the time of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Violence, Vomit, and Police brutality

It is a dark book about a physically ill man being used by a cult, who abused many, many others. Would not recommend reading if you cannot handle graphic descriptions.