Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez

87 reviews

zmeiat's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, and Alcohol

drgnhrt968's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Blood, and Murder

emilyseebold's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Pedophilia, Torture, Xenophobia, Vomit, Trafficking, and War

Minor: Eating disorder and Homophobia

revjess's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

npericchi's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Súper bueno. Cien por cien recomendado.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Child death

moth_gf184's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

saint_eleanor's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Hell yeah 
We got catboys, we got eldrich horrors beyond the imagination in a river, and we got skinty girls who murder men for fun 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Child abuse

Minor: Rape

cangell's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.5

These spooky tales are dark, gruesome, spellbinding, and will stay with you long after (especially when you turn off the lights at night- looking at you, “Adela’s House”). I binge-read the book in two days because it was impossible to put down. 

Haunted by the specter of Argentina’s troubled past, these stories are a powerful commentary on state violence, the patriarchy, and the everyday horror of powerlessness. They strike a perfect balance of subtext and storytelling, painting a vivid portrait of social upheaval in South America without being didactic or sacrificing the suspense. The stories are violent and brutal (def not for the faint of heart- see trigger warnings), but not for mere shock value.  Horror is having a major renaissance right now and this is an excellent example of the genre at its best.

With any collection, there are hits and misses. I disliked some, like “The Dirty Kid,” because I felt like they portrayed addicts and homeless people in a stigmatizing way, but after reading the entire book, I realize the intention was to highlight the horrors of poverty and society’s indifference to their suffering. The translator did a fantastic job- the language is stunning (though I wish I could read it in its original Spanish because I wonder if the tone of certain things might change). There are so many standouts. The title story is simply spectacular, the crown jewel of the collection. “Under the Dark Water” was another favorite. This is a must read for any fan of literary horror. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Suicide, Violence, and Police brutality

kerishma's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

eli99's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Not as good as her more recent collection of short horror stories. A few of these just didn't land as interesting or horrific. But some of them were dark and spooky in that enjoyable ways. The way she captures these short pictures of the character's lives is quite pleasant. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism