Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez

74 reviews

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.

taniguchi_c's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder

snacklord's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Murder

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

school_for_scandal's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

Honestly could have used another 50 pages. Man, what a ride.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

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

simp_librarian's review against another edition

I love this book but I hit pause because it's a lot

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Injury/Injury detail

rachelloyer's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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: Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Terminal illness, Torture, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Homophobia and Suicide

violetturtledove's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.5

This book is a complex and often confusing journey, but worth sticking with. I don't completely understand everything that happened, but I'm actually tempted to jump back in and read from the start just to absorb more of it. 

The supernatural is mixed well with the political history of the story, and the characters are flawed, screwed up and completely believable. There's some very simple naming- the cult is called 'The Order' and the dark god they worship is 'The Darkness' but I think it works as a stylistic choice, it keeps the story grounded. Despite the fantastical elements it's a story about family, secrets and dealing with the past. And when it comes to horror, people outdo monsters every time. 

It jumps around a lot: it's not always clear at first whether a gap between paragraphs signifies a day or several months. The six parts of the book aren't in chronological order, mostly this does help build the sense of mystery but some sections drag a little.  It's a slow, atmospheric build up rather than a tense thriller. 

I imagine some people will be frustrated by the lack of clear answers on some points, there's a lot going on and I could have done with a little more clarification but again, it fits with the style of the book. Human relationships are complicated and you can't expect easy answers. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Rape and Suicidal thoughts

erinreadstoomuch's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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 book absolutely had its grip on me in a way I haven’t felt in awhile. Between the layers of story telling through POVs, the snippets of the order leaking through, right down to the adolescent struggle of Gaspar as we follow him to adulthood. Excellent writing. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War