Reviews tagging 'Torture'

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

9 reviews

joshuach's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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

4.25

 An unrelentingly depressing story about two men in love in the trenches of World War I: I mean it—Alice Winn does not let up in her prose, her descriptions, and the emotional convictions of both her main characters as they grapple with the inherent violence of men, the vomit-inducing realities of war, all while balancing their stark lives as two men loving one another despite the injunction of judgment, ridicule, and death. There were several sections where I had to stop and think: some good, some bad. Winn describes in gruesome yet brief detail catastrophic violence and gore, and in the same breath, Winn builds romance and lust. There were moments where I hated the characters and loved them; I kept seeing a gentleness between the lines, between horror and love. There were fleeting moments of bright, lush peace but insurmountable responsibility that this is a war book, this is a queer book, and, somehow, that alone was enough tragedy. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, and War

lou702's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

This is one of the most devastating books I ever read. Even with the knowledge of it being set in the first world war, I was not prepared to cry so many tears for fictional characters.

You start to love them and read about funny moments and just some word later you find out that they died.

I cried horribly and will probably never touch it again, even if it was such a good written book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Violence, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

oddio's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Blood, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment

sestep's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide and Antisemitism

this book about World War I and does not shy away from brutality of it

zara89's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

swanuponsleda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Classism

Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

the_first_lines's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Medical content, and War

lenchen25's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, Outing, and War

kellysbookverse's review against another edition

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Confinement, Suicide, Death of parent, and Classism