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the_clueless_tourist's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, and Murder
joanabryant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
faloneran'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Animal death
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
rupesaltai's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The prose of the book is one of the most beautiful I've read in quite a long time, it's poetic even when describing what can be gruesome. The main character appeared to me as rather uncommon (a quirky old woman, kind of a rebel, child-free, who is deeply into astrology, social justice, and translating poetry) who felt incredibly real and mutidimensional, as did most of the secondary and side characters.
The story in itself is engaging, full of twists and turns, and surprising until the very end.
I don't think I could recommend this book enough.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Blood, and Murder
inhisbluegardens's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Our protagonist is an eccentric lady in her 60s named Janina Duszenko, who lives on her own in the middle of nowhere near the Polish-Czech border. She is odd and hermit-like with a love of astrology and a great reverence for animals. Mrs Duszenko's perspective on the world and her understanding of the story's happenings are really what makes this a worthwhile read. Her complete belief in the logic she draws from the stars and the deep empathy she displays for animals and for people also considered to be on the outskirts of society in some way really puts us on her side, I feel. Her dedication to solving the mystery of four separate murders involving local hunters are the focus of the book, but it almost comes second to her musings on everything from the local mushroom pickers society to the rights of animals and the reasoning behind the names she bestows on others in her head. Mrs Duszenko's unique voice does a stellar job of putting the unsavoury sharply into focus but presenting it in a matter-of-fact way. Indeed, cruelty, loneliness, exploitation and addiction can all be explained by the planetary alignments. The experience of reading this book is deepened by the way Tokarczuk writes about the landscape and the traditions that its people cling to. How we as humans, like all other living things mark the changing seasons.
Such an interesting read!
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Self harm
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
paulasnotsosecretdiary's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, and Murder
just_one_more_paige'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Body horror
amaezone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, and Murder