Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Human Sacrifices by María Fernanda Ampuero

5 reviews

qpqdelia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Some really good stories in this little anthology, though they’re often very, very short. Would read one at a time, for the most part, and by the time I was done I’d sit and think about what I’d read. I wanted to, was compelled to. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism

not_another_ana's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

¿Cuánto tiempo hay que fingir que todo está bien hasta reconocer que estás infinitamente jodida y que lo sabes? ¿Cuánto debes esperar hasta intentar alcanzar un cenicero, un atizador, un florero para estampárselo en la cabeza? ¿Cuánto de prudencia puede demostrar un animal amenazado? ¿Y una mujer?

Doce cuentos que abordan distintos horrores: cotidianos, sobrenaturales, imaginarios, reales muy reales. Ampuero plasma todo con honestidad, crudeza y violencia, es un estilo confrontacional que se mezcla con su prosa audaz y animada. Los relatos abordan temas variados, pero de todos se puede sacar alguna idea de sacrificio. Una niñera cuida demás al niño de la familia que la contrató sacrificando de alguna manera a su propio hijo y su calidad de vida, una mujer inmigrante se sacrifica en la búsqueda de un futuro mejor para sus padres e hija y termina en una situación peligrosa, etc. 

También es clara la fuerte crítica social, que es el hilo conductor de todos los relatos. La desigualdad social, la pobreza, la discriminación, Ampuero integra estas críticas de manera acertada y con gran habilidad. Quizás uno que otro de los cuentos no estuviera a la altura del promedio, pero en general son todos sólidos. Entre mis favoritos están: Biografía, hermanita y sacrificios.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Infidelity

howlinglibraries's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

5.0

 What a gorgeous, unsettling, heart-wrenching collection of stories. This book won't be for the faint of heart; it contains a tremendous amount of difficult content and is layered with endless metaphors for rape culture, colonization, racism, and more — but if you feel comfortable taking it on, it will be well worth your time.
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Classism, and Deportation

lorie266's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

I feel that sometimes I forget that horror does not have to be creepy monsters, ghosts or psycho murderers. There is horror in the things we make and see as mundane, in the day to day lives of so many people. It was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to see these stories written, sold and advertised as horror because that’s exactly what they are. Eres una escritora magnífica Ampuero y te agradezco de todo corazón por esta obra de arte!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, and Classism

elionthesun's review against another edition

adventurous 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? N/A

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence