Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

53 reviews

pricklybriar's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

Wonderful characters and evocative descriptions of the setting. The author does an amazing job of weaving all the ends of the mystery together.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Violence

allapaz's review against another edition

This falls into an issue I have with a lot of Spanish translations where the language is just so flowery and descriptive it's really hard to fall into the story. That and the wild misogyny in this slow start making me feel the ick every time a female character is discussed, I just can't justify forcing myself through this one before the library wants it back. Maybe if I were in a different headspace

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content

amhud1030's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Infertility, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual harassment

ka_cam's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I read this while I was sick with covid which maybe impacted my experience, but I didn’t love it. It was too slow and exposition-heavy to be a compelling mystery for me, and the constant misogyny and violence against women characters (and their flatness in development) was a big turn-off for me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Infidelity, Racism, Torture, Police brutality, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

martharosen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, and Police brutality

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Sexual content, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

bookwormcat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This was a great book. Beautiful prose, compelling characters and a fascinating mystery. Dark and sad but with moments of real humour. I loved it

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Incest, Excrement, and War

chrisljm's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-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

3.5

1. this book would not pass the bechdel test.
2. the twist almost made me shit myself. 
3. “the day was turning out to be longer than The Brothers Karamazov” is so funny. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Racial slurs, Rape, Antisemitism, Abortion, and Classism

narsere's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Sexual content

star_boi's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

Overall an enjoyable story. In my opinion, the story dragged a little in the beginning, but once Fermin as a character is introduced the pace picks up. Sometimes it was hard to remember which character had which background story, but i very much liked how the stories were all tied together somehow. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Homophobia

Minor: Sexual content and Sexual harassment

rosy_carolynne's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Torture, Murder, and Sexual harassment