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bookish_wanderer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, and Mental illness
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
this book's filled w/ innumerable observations and insight abt life & death, the human condition, and animal treatment, some thought-provoking, and others sardonically true and darkly humorous, although the extensive discussion abt astrology isnt rly my thing. the characters are imbued w/ life and color even amid the bleakness of the landscape, and the main character's developing relationships w/ her increasingly close circle are subtly poignant. weirdly, the twist at the end shouldnt have been surprising, yet it still jolted me w/ the abruptness of its revelation.
needless to say, one cant talk abt this book w/o mentioning tokarczuk's biting denunciations of human treatment of animals, the hypocrisy and numbing, desensitized acceptance of it all. they're bewilderingly powerful and persuasive, though in hindsight i wish some discussion went into past necessity of certain aspects of this animal-related issue.
a surprisingly rewarding - though occasionally droning and weirdly paced - novel that invites a second reading and makes me interested in checking out tokarczuk's other works.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Infidelity and Medical content
bridgetbo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, and Murder
chinama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death and Chronic illness
hannasandmann's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Animal death and Murder
Minor: Chronic illness
lain_darko's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Medical content, and Murder
Minor: Vomit
rm96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Drug use
uranaishi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Animal death and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
catunbound's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
On a more serious note, this book brings out the systemic flaws in the way we treat women, not only those who may have a standing in society, but especially those who are constantly marginalised. In a literal way, Janina lives on the fringes of society and is very well deemed to the local crazy old hag. She has acclimatised herself to her surroundings, fully living the woodland life. She studies cosmography (how she likes to say astrology), has prophetic and supernatural dreams, and is a protector of animals. I like her, sometimes. But the point is not to have me like her, its to realise that even though we may not understand her, she deserves to have her voice heard loud and clear. This book is a brilliant nod to the olden “knowledgeable” women who were persecuted, marginalised, and burnt at the stake as witches. It deals with authoritarian callousness, animal rights, oddball neighbours (the anthropological need to have a little community of people), and unheard, ignored women’s voices. I am probably too dumb to understand this book on a deeper level but i love it for what i have understood.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Police brutality, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, and Death of parent