ryebread225's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
what is with the obsession with breasts
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Suicide
frankahilde's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Killing commentatore is a beautiful book. It reminds me a lot of the wind up bird chronicles because it has a lot of similar motives (a dreamworld colliding with reality, a middle aged man left abruptly by his wife not really knowing what to do with his life, that man having a strange friendship with a young teenage girl, a house that is much more than that and sitting for hours in a dark confined space under the earth with only one other person knowing) But I really did prefer Killing Commendatore. Maybe because I am an artist as well, the topic of paintings and their meaning really fascinated me. I only think that the book was a little bit too long and could have been shortened at some points.
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Suicide, War, and Rape
Minor: Abortion
kirstenhands's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
4.25
I don't know if quotes are spoiler's, but I don't think so. Metaphor for the framework: "And what's really amazing about that place is that it's darker than anything could ever be. So dark that when you turn off the flashlight it feels like you can grab the darkness with your hands. And when you're there in the dark by yourself, it's like your body is gradually coming apart and disappearing. But since it's dark you can't see it happen. you don't know if you still have a body or not. But even if, say, my body completely disappeared, I'd still remain there. Like the Cheshire Cat's grin remaining after he vanished. Pretty weird, huh? But when I was there I didn't think it was weird at all. I wanted to stay there forever, but I thought you'd be worried, so I came out."
Graphic: Suicide, War, Child death, and Adult/minor relationship
crows_in_a_trenchcoat's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
4.75
Graphic: Suicide, Rape, and Sexual content
frida_funk's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-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? No
5.0
Minor: Suicide
wellreadmed's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Rape and Suicide
Minor: Domestic abuse
sneako's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Grief, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Dementia
Minor: Torture
some more content notes: lengthy discussions of the sudden death of a parent, and the sudden death of a sibling (as memories from the past, not current events). / there is a creepy relationship which is never explicitly said to be pedophilic or incestuous but is sort of implied that it might be, and it involves some stalking. there is no violence against the child, however. / there is also a scene in which a character asks the protagonist to choke her during sex which brings him to some dark psychological places. / the rape scene is a dream/fantasy and does not occur in "real life." / there is a decapitation scene which is brief but bloody and graphic. / there is discussion of war crimes including the various mass killings of nazi germany, kristallnacht, and the nanking massacre.
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