Reviews tagging 'War'

Där kräftorna sjunger by Delia Owens

42 reviews

wogslandwriter's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing sad 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

5.0

I did not know what to expect from this book when I started it. Honestly, it was beyond my expectations from the very beginning and it just kept going. I did not know how it was going to end.

I was pretty sure Kaya wouldn't go to jail, but I honestly did think that she had killed Tate. It made the most logical sense, but it just didn't seem like she had done it. It was definitely a surprise to have that twist at the end, but it all makes sense and it brings a sense of mildly juvenile wonder which I think really matches Kaya's personality because she was neglected for so long and stayed agoraphobic for her who life.

I laughed and cried reading this and it may be one of the best literary novels I have ever read. I am definitely interested in more books like this, with a focus on ecology and personhood. It is extremely good and I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Racism, Murder, Death, Classism, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual content, Cursing, and Misogyny

Minor: Car accident, War, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Child death, Infertility, and Sexism

Kaya, the main character of this book is subject to extreme childhood neglect from and absent mother and alcoholic father. The book focuses on her abandonment and loneliness as it follows her story.

As a teenager she has a relationship with an older boy who is technically an adult for the later part of their relationship. As a young adult, she has a relationship with an emotionally manipulative young man where he is cheating on her and lying to her regularly. After breaking it off with him, he later chases her down and attempts to rape her. She defends herself and is able to escape him.

There are also graphic flashbacks to her father beating her mother and siblings and discussion of how her town is segregated with black people living in "colored town" separate from the white people. There is mild discussion of the racism of the era, but mostly it is simply treated as matter of fact as it is viewed through the eyes of a child.

aelin_morgenstern's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Classism, and Racism

Moderate: Grief, Bullying, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexism, Violence, and Confinement

Minor: War, Domestic abuse, Infertility, and Sexual content

The book is set in the 1950s and 1960s. Therefore, the society is segregated and racial slurs are mentioned.

reemoony's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

before anything else, fuck delia owens. now, this was genuinely the best book ive read this year. it sucked me in on the first page and kept me there. following kya from her childhood all the way to adulthood become my favorite activity for a week. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Bullying, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Abandonment, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, War, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Death, and Cursing

zams's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective 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

Such an atmospheric and beautiful read, I absolutely loved the descriptions of the scenery and what they meant for Kya.
Kya's story definitly had me in my feelings and the murder had me guessing who did it in-between, but I felt like the main focus was on her life and how the surroundings played such a huge role in it.
All in all a great scenic story, an atmospheric read with the tension of a murder mystery woven in.
Allthough the ending wasn't really surprising to me, I still think it was fitting, however, definitly could have used a little more work, it was rather quick and didn't feel very thought through, but as I said the focus was more on the story than the murder-mystery in my opinion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Murder and Violence

Minor: Terminal illness, Sexual content, Infertility, Infidelity, and War

sofialeser's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, and Bullying

Minor: Murder, Death, Infidelity, War, Infertility, and Death of parent

courtneyg1999's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

Very slow start feels like the books you were forced to read in high school then at the end it got better. Definitely a page Turner towards the end. By the third chapter I was jealous of Ma for leaving.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Rape, Racism, War, and Sexual harassment

jg34's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book!! It drew me in pretty quickly and I was curious the whole time through wondering what would happen. I seen some negative reviews but they all sounded very pretentious in my opinion. some say it’s not believable - neither are many fiction books I read, it’s fiction. I did find some parts in the beginning far fetched but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story. Another I seen complained they could not find a category for this book - romance? Mystery? YA? I don’t find that to be an issue at all, it allows for a more fully fleshed story. Anyway I guess if you are too good for most things you may dislike this book but my simple brain loved it 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Grief, War, Racism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, and Adult/minor relationship

eleni_erato's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexism, Infidelity, and War

Minor: Infertility and Suicidal thoughts

wing_san's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.75

The story was fine, and the descriptions of nature were quiet good. I found it could be verbose at times, and, as others have pointed out, the dialogue was wasn't the strongest. While I liked the characters like Jumpin and such, the author builds tension only to accidentally deflate it too quickly and too soon. I have mixed feelings about this book. I got emotional at times, but it was lacking something that made the transition between the two (eventually coinciding) timelines choppy. The time jump in the last few chapters felt especially abrupt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Cursing, Hate crime, Violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, Body horror, and Animal death

Minor: Addiction, Medical content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, War, Mental illness, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Drug use, Infertility, Sexual harassment, and Self harm

Graphic depictions of domestic violence, including against children.

A (frankly unnecessary) scene involving racist hate crime and slurs.

First period Coercion of sex / dubious consent / wear her down Some injuries are described quite graphically, more than expected, at least Implied painful sexual experiences. Attempted sexual assault.

knunderb's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Slightly slow to start, but enthralling and with an ending I wasn't totally expected. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and War

Moderate: Racism