Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Lapin Maudit by Bora Chung

134 reviews

kitplays's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

5.0

The most striking part of this collection is in its arrangement. It starts with the absurd, sometimes humorous tales about things like feces children and a cursed rabbit lamp. The last three or so stories, by comparison, were touching and heartbreaking discussions of harsh reality, loss, and loneliness. It's such a curiously good morsel of human emotion. I really enjoyed this collection.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Grief

emk5's review against another edition

dark sad tense

3.25

It was certainly cursed?? Mostly just disturbing and unsettling. I tried to add all the CW's but definitely might have missed some. Would not personally recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Gore, and Blood

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Pregnancy

Minor: Incest

perfectcupoftea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Genocide, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, and War

sauvageloup's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I whistled through these very disturbing little stories. 

pros:
- they're definitely gripping, and the writing style is sparse but clear and evocative, with the descriptions being vivid.
- the stories felt self contained and satisfying overall, even as many ended in tragedy.
- the last book of short stories I read, i struggled to jump from one story to another, maybe because they were so different and by different people. this one wasnt like that at all, and i had no problem reading straight through, pretty much.
- i liked the variety in length and themes of the stories, from birth horror, to supernatural, to fantasy fairy tale and modern criticisms on feminism and capitalism. i think i mainly read very on the surface and didnt look hard at metaphors and such, a reread might help me see this more.
- I liked the sheer imagination though and how Chung makes you care for characters who often arent even given a name.

cons: 
- the first two stories especially, but a lot of them overall, were pretty horrible and graphic. they did their job in making you feel things! but it reminded me too much of just horrible nightmares and intrusive thoughts and I wouldnt read those two again.
- I also felt there was generally a lack of hope in the stories, but that's personal taste I guess.

overall, well written and gripping but too horror for me and dont think I'll seek out more of her work, but I might reread this in time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

bribellej's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

2.5

Favorite Short Stories: Reunion, Snare, and Goodbye, My Love
The short stories were very hit or miss for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Suicide, and Violence

dalstellar's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

3.0

so fucked up... memorable tho!

impossible to rate altogether some real hits and misses

fav story: the embodiment
least fav: scars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Excrement, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Ableism, Incest, Dementia, and Car accident

sneakysophster's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

Weird, violent, gross, fairy-tale-esque, existential representations of the patriarchy, relationships with parents, capitalism, and greed. One of my favorite short story collections probably ever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

quintopus's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.25

The different stories range from spooky to body-horroresque to downright disturbing. It's an interesting and at times beautiful read and there are a lot of big, societal themes always gliding along under the surface. Sometimes they're almost obvious, often the waters are more murky. For me it was a bit of a challenging read and finishing took a long time but I would definitely recommend it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror

bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

cs172's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Incest

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, and Vomit