Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

35 reviews

marigoldgem's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism

mightyoscura's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

lorenag5's review

adventurous challenging inspiring reflective fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

cocheesereads's review

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexism, Torture, and Violence

a_novel_craving's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

george_tte's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

Un clásico con toda razón. Es un libro que no teme hablar de cosas horribles, pero sigue contándote y no te queda de otra que continuar leyendo. Isabel Allende tiene un don para crear personajes que se sienten reales y sinceros. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Abortion, and Classism

deniseh's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Incest, Sexual violence, Slavery, Vomit, Abortion, Murder, and Colonisation

theskyboi's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.0

What can my review possibly add to a book that is celebrating its 40th anniversary? The House of the Spirits fits snugly into the moniker of "debut novel," given the old adage to "write what you know." As a patchwork history of Chile in the 20th century, as well as a saga of the purportedly fictional Trueba family's women, this book weaves magical realism and historical fiction into an unforgettable read that any author would feel lucky to consider their first foray into fiction.

Having read the novel in Spanish, I feel both blessed and cursed to have had access to the original text; I was enchanted and haunted in equal measure. While the book deals largely in political and historical themes, the legacies of the women within the Trueba family are at the crux of the story. From Clara's clairvoyance to Blanca's indecision and to Alba's tenacity, this book illustrates the power that comes with sharing the stories that are most personal to us.

Often taking a circuitous path between past and present, the prose of this novel is what enchants the reader most of all. From the moment that Clara has her first premonition until the narrator utters that final phrase, reading this book is a challenge rewarded with mischief, absurdity, solemnity, and satisfaction. However, that flowery language Allende seems predisposed to include in her story did result in a rather slow-paced read, so consider yourself warned.

In light of warnings, the content of this novel, while fictionalized, does align with the true struggles of the life of 20th-century Chileans. The violence perpetuated across lines of gender, class, and race is far too prevalent in this book for me not to warn any potential readers. While typically dealt with in ways that I find historically accurate to the spirit of many lived experiences, I do note the very graphic nature of this novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and War

ryann_400's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This is MUST READ, no book has challenged my concept of time, family and politics like this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

erinwolf1997's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, War, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Confinement, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use