Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Empuzjon by Olga Tokarczuk

4 reviews

bookb1itch's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

The blurb and publicity for this book promised it to be my jam.  Although it was beautifully well-written, the story didn't deliver the "Horror" promised on the cover.  There was only a vague unease or creeping menace most of the time.  (Except the references to specialty dishes - these really were horrific!) And the goings-on in the woods...  (!) Also, it was a difficult read, because the language was so dense, so I wasn't able to read much at a time, spoiling continuity.  Some really interesting conversations between characters about politics, women, philosophy, but I would have preferred more chills.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, and Dysphoria

sarahb919's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

 Very well-written but also very slow-paced. Towards the middle I started to get bored and was wondering if the plot would ever reappear. But I stuck around because I wanted my suspicions about the main character confirmed. Was happy they were confirmed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

antimony's review against another edition

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

5.0

THIS WAS SOOO SO GOOD i literally do not have words for it. i need to go back and reread the last couple chapters because i had to rush through this so as to not leave myself on a cliffhanger before class but ohh my god. the beginning was slow but the buildup was so sooo good and i honestly think i could just sit down and start this from the beginning all over again just to soak it in and get more layers out of it...i dont even know how to describe it this was just so good. everyone go read it right now. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Medical content

cute_emo_bookboy's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

3.25

Now I don't know how to reffer to the main character... lol... we say no to misgendering fictional characters

Really nice book... at least the first ¾. I really liked the mysterous charm that this book had, also the emotions and trauma of the main character but by the end, I didn't feel that tension

He/she, how do you prefer to call them, just put on some female clothes and left? Like, what? The gender implications were nice but it just didn't fit in this book. I'm saying this as a trans person

I thought that the paranormal stuff will be more important to the plot. Also, I've seen some people having problem with Tokarczuk's "feminism". Personally, I thought that these dialogue like "if women dislike something then it's good" were more like a joke...? Okay then...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Terminal illness

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Vomit and War