Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Recursion by Blake Crouch

7 reviews

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

This novel is a trip. It puts you through an emotional gamut while reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

The world gets destabilized at points in this book. There’s the question of what types of unpleasant events should be intervened on if that’s a possibility. There’s a prominent element to the plot of this book which involves self harm. Personal tragedies are also quite focused on in this plot. The things that happen across life like declining health of yourself and family members is prominent as well. The question of what would you do for your loved ones is intermingled throughout the twisty plot. I loved this book throughout. It’s one of my favorite things read in 2024.

elizafiedler's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.5

I made the mistake of listening to part of this book (the part where Barry loops back and forth with the most frequency, the most futile-feeling part) while stuck waiting and being ignored in the Apple store, surrounded by that sterile, sensory hellscape. Don't make a similar mistake. Listen to it in the open air; it gets existentially claustrophobic in parts. But still, it's an amazing, creative, and ultimately affirming book about human consciousness. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Torture, Violence, Car accident, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

lavinia_speaks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder

ababytapir's review against another edition

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

4.75

This book got me excited about reading again. It was part sci-fi thriller, part mad-time travel paradoxical brain-fuck, part horror, part romance, part philosophical musing on the human condition, and I loved EVERY second of it. It's a book I couldn't put down. A book I immediately recommended to everyone I know who loves sci fi and thrillers. It's one of the most thought-provoking books I've ever read. I literally only took off a quarter star because it's a little too nice to police, and the romance was a touch too heterosexual for my tastes, but that's just based on my own personal politics. It's a book I'm immensely glad I read. I spent the days after reading it just going "wow. What? Wow." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

This is a very violent book and there's some pretty graphic descriptions of mass violent acts like being right inside a nuclear war and terrorist attack. The book opens on a suicide and the story is often driven by the main character's deaths and suicides.

laurenmiller100's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.0

This book is really terrifying. The ideas about memory and identity are very interesting, but it gets a little preachy toward the end. I also found it a little overly sentimental by the end.

That said, the descriptions of Barry and Helena dying in a nuclear fall out are truly gruesome and horrific. It’s awful.  The ”hell” that the characters get stuck in during their 30 year loop is so scary. Especially for all the people who ARENT Berry or Helena.  The book doesn’t focus enough on that. It’s truly terrifying.

I agree with what others have said about the lack of chemistry between

Barry and Helena

. The story skips a lot of their love story and it leaves the reader feeling sort of left out of their connection.

3 stars

• Characters: 4
• Atmosphere/Setting: 5
• Writing Style: 7
• Plot: 5
• Intrigue: 6
• Logic/Relationships: 4
• Enjoyment: 4

War, torture.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Violence, and War

Minor: Suicide attempt

katiesbeengone's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Suicide, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Mass/school shootings

dannythestreet's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, Mental illness, Torture, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Murder, and War

Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Pregnancy