Reviews tagging 'Torture'

El encuadernador by Nieves Calvino Gutiérrez, Bridget Collins

3 reviews

greymalkin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

2.0

Writing is decent enough and I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the idea of what binders do.  But wow does this book feel like it needs to have all the content warnings included.

I didn't much like any of the characters and the terrible abuse of all the female characters (not a single one is spared) was really upsetting.  Especially as the male characters tended to be the abusers and awful people and for the most part had zero repercussions or punishment.  I also wish that the book had lingered more on the actual bookbinding part instead of just a few descriptions of materials and tools that we never "see" used so we don't know what they do.  Since the author has actually taken a lot of bookbinding classes I expected more but it felt more like what someone might add after an evening of googling and youtube videos.  Since it was such a huge part of the magic system of the world, I wanted more details.  All the bits about "trade" and fakes were intriguing but we never get to interact with them "onscreen".  Humans are storytellers, how is that no one has written down stories before?  If they didn't, then why isn't there more of an oral tradition?  My questions really took me out of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Racism, Torture, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Stalking

In case the massive block of content warning tags is not enough, this book has multiple serial pedophilic rapists in it and disturbing homophobic violence. And no, the perpetrators don't get punished. Only their victims get punished and killed.

oolongowlbear's review against another edition

This books main theme seems to be rape and coercion. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Torture

orlagal's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail