Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Das Geisterhaus by Isabel Allende

36 reviews

marigoldgem's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism

ka_cam's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Beautifully written and still timely multigenerational saga set in chili in the generations up to the election of Allende (‘the President’) and the subsequent coup and descent into authoritarian violence. The named first person narrator was so unlikable and casually violent I disliked parts of his narration. The characters are interesting and I see how it was hugely significant for the time, for me it read as good but not exceptional. Would advise folks to check the content warnings and be prepared for outdated language. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Blood

enchanteddroppings's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism

dommymartinez's review against another edition

challenging funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction and Drug use

Minor: Racial slurs and Racism

april_liebt_libros123's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

This story is LONG but not without intention. As a multi-generational tale, I was often left wondering what was the point of it all. There is a rather extended climax of the end of the book, but it ties all the experiences of the many varied characters together in a way the mirrors the story telling of its protagonists. I finished it feeling an appreciation for the journey it took me on, even if it took me a minute to get there. While I won't say I ENJOYED this book, I do definitely feel like I learned from it and have a good representation of this style of writing and what the author is known for. I'm grateful for the read, even if I had to force myself through some of it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

mightyoscura's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

kaffee_auf_ex's review

dark informative 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

1.25

oh. my. fucking. god. 

I was so relieved when I finished this book. I wouldn't have finished this if I hadn't been reading it for a book club.

Let's start with the positive: Isabel Allende obviously knows how to write. I also really enjoyed the historical context that we got. That's about it.

The book is very graphic. I don't mind that in general, in fact I enjoy it sometimes. But not when we have to listen to the thoughts of pedophiles, rapists, racists and killers and also get the very details of their actions described to us.

We have 3 female main characters but never get their perspective. Instead, we hear from men that are the literal worst. 

People tend to love Clara because "omg she's so dreamy and quirky" when really, she just enables her husband to do the worst things to the women around them both including his sister even though Clara supposedly loves here. I mean, what's that about?

Also, I hated the racist terms used but I know that it's  because this book is old.

In conclusion: This book was well written but I hated every second its content.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Xenophobia

nannahnannah's review against another edition

Nope.
DNF @ 1%.

That’s the most pathetic percent I’ve ever left a book at, but it’s actually about 50 pages in; this book is just short of 500 pages. Sticking with it when I hate the protagonist with such a passion would be torture, classic or no classic.

The House of the Spirits is a very famous and classic book following three generations of the Trueba family in Chile. Covering political issues, love stories, and things that can only be described as otherworldly, the book is one of the most famous and well-loved Latin American works from the twentieth century.

Again, I barely put a dent into this long book (not only is it 500 pages long, but the pages are also nearly transparent and the text is small), but what I read was enough for me to know if I could bear reading on or not. As I said, it was the protagonist that made the book unbearable. He was engaged to Rosa, an ethereal mermaid-like beauty from the Trueba family, but before he could make his fortune and marry her, she died. 

His grief had him blaming her at her graveside for everything that basically went wrong in his life. I get it; grief is a powerful force and it makes people do things and think things they normally wouldn’t. But then he admits, totally heartfelt, that he even never touched other women those past years he was trying to make a fortune -- well, except for those prostitutes, lmao. 

Not only this, but he was already wearing me thin, because to win her hand he literally stalked her every day, learned where she lived and when she went outside, and apparently this won her family over? The whole thing was so intensely creepy but was framed as romantic. I don’t care what “generation” this mindset is from, I just didn’t want to share 500 pages with this dude anymore. I have a life to live and other books to read.

So no thanks.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Stalking

Minor: Racial slurs

[I barely started this book, so the content warnings are only for, lol, 1% of the book before I said nope]

ryann_400's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This is MUST READ, no book has challenged my concept of time, family and politics like this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

wquindley's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

i love stories that follow families across generations. i think they’re fascinating. this book is set in south america which was really interesting both because of the culture and the political issues that occurred in the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Racial slurs, Abortion, and War