Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock

60 reviews

buffy87's review

challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.5

This is the whitest book I've read all year. I am not into whatever this genre is. Bleak male hillbilly drama.

Writing is mediocre. Nothing great but not bad enough to distract you. Structure needs work. Felt muddled for most of the book and at the end you see everything predictably come together. Ultimately, it's filled with shitty characters that do shitty things.

I get that theres commentary being made about *something profound* but I don't think there's much being said here except people are shitty. There are grey-areas, but this book does NOT demonstrate that. I just imagine the author beating off to his own writing bc it read more as a exploration of fantasy than commentary.

Felt like I was reading a book written by an incel.

If you want to read the psyche of men who don't value womxn, understand consent, who grunt or hit as their primary form of communication, and don't wash themselves - this is for you!

Don't recommend lol.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

amieeaya's review against another edition

4.5

Like Oil! or True Grit. Set in southern Ohio. A dark, depraved yet redeeming story spanning several generations. Don’t read if you need it all to come out alright in the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Murder

surdiablo's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The first and last parts were my favorite sections due to how unsettling they were. The author doesn’t shy away from anything, delivering a raw, unflinching narrative that often leaves you aghast. I didn't care much about the side characters but it's a quick, intense read where everything comes together satisfyingly in the end. The unexpected shifts in POV and the exploration of different characters’ thoughts made the experience much more intriguing, although I can see it being jarring for some. Arvin was my favorite and he carried the book whenever I thought my interest was waning. Overall, it’s a dark, grotesque thriller that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. However, I wouldn’t recommend this at all to those sensitive about religion or animal cruelty.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Suicide, and War

Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Excrement

brilliantfriend's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

This is an extremely disturbing, graphic book. VERY good, but you have to have the stomach for it.

toadallyabby's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

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

4.0

It’s a dark book but one that most folks who grew up around religiosity can identify with in some way. No one gets out of this story as a saint. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, Torture, and Death of parent

Minor: Pedophilia and Terminal illness

orizenda's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I liked this way more than I anticipated. I think there’s a lot more going on than just the stories. I think i’ll have to read it again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide

kkalicky94's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jvmpbvndles's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Read for a month, then read the last 120 pages in 3 hours… Wouldn’t have read it if it was over 500 pages but now that it’s over, I wish it was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Rape

savyelizabeth's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, and Religious bigotry