Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

La casa de los espíritus (Edición especial 40 aniversario) by Isabel Allende

33 reviews

meredith_williams_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Este libro es un verdadero clásico. Aunque para mi fue una lectura difícil (pasé casi un año leyéndolo 😅) es una historia importante e inolvidable que explora lo que significa ser humano, la mezcla de lo bueno y lo malo que existe en el mundo, y los ciclos que se repitan generación tras generación. El realismo mágico mezclado con el comentario sociopolítico es ingenioso y leerlo después de las elecciones más recientes aquí en Estados Unidos fue casi como leer un aviso del pasado para nuestro futuro posible. Aunque había cosas que pasaron al final que me frustraron mucho, reconozco la realidad que se refleja en los eventos que ocurrieron y me quedo inspirado por las últimas palabras narradas por la protagonista al final:

“Me será muy difícil vengar a todos los que tienen que ser vengados, porque mi venganza no sería más que otra parte del mismo rito inexorable. Quiero que mi oficio es la vida y que mi misión no es prolongar el odio…”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, and Classism

Moderate: Violence, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Addiction, Vomit, and Car accident

nie_fertig's review against another edition

I cannot think of a single good thing to say about this novel. This is all coming from personal taste, but I thought the stream of consciousness narration was terribly boring, I didn't like the plot or really any of the characters, and I especially hated the character Esteban Trueba. He literally r*pes HUNDREDS of women all cause he's bored and upset, and I was 100% done with this novel because of his sexism, terrible physical and emotional assaults against SO many people, and homophobia. He also kicks his sister out of the house for being a lesbian (yes, she was attracted to his wife, but literally talk it out?? Let her have a wife of her own???), which also pissed me off. Anyway, I can understand why this novel is important culturally and historically, but it is definitely not for my personal taste. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment

franzys_whip's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Murder, Lesbophobia, and War

kubs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing 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? It's complicated

5.0

What an beautiful book. Spanning multiple generations of a family with allusions to the political climate of Chile. Its depth and breadth are incredible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, War, and Classism

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Chronic illness and Car accident

dollarsignimp's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

thursdd4y's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.75

I realized I had never read this book in Allende's trilogy.  I don't remember details from the first two books, but this was good on its own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

laurenw's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional

3.75

My best friend rated this as 'too much realism, not enough magic' and that is v apt. 
A multi-generational story about an intriguing family who appears to have drawn in every kind of trauma possible, the book is not bad, but it is chaotic. For all the claims of this focusing on a matriarchal line, and we do follow 4/5 generations of daughters, all the events in the book are framed through the perspective of 1 man, who is not a pleasant character. Obviously books can be enjoyable and still center a problematic character, but the role of Esteban (plural) throughout the story detracts from the spirit of the women this story should have been about. 
Ultimately, fell flat for me, but the political background and its rich cultural depictions were its shining grace. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Miscarriage, and Lesbophobia

kimchikat's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, War, and Classism

sakurachiyou's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Classism