cryfest's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Classism, Chronic illness, Grief, Murder, and Sexism
bedtimesnack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Animal death
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Ableism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Child death, Fatphobia, Confinement, and Sexism
noahfence'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Chronic illness, Medical content, Sexism, Cursing, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, and Misogyny
athenium's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Grief, Violence, Bullying, Chronic illness, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming and Body horror
cuddlygryphon'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Ableism, Murder, Sexism, Death, Animal death, and Violence
Warning for a plot revolving aroundSpoiler
beloved pet dogs killed by peopleclarabooksit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Spoiler
not only was it predictable, but the lengthy, detailed description of exactly how and why the murderer killed the people they did was unnecessary and annoying. There are enough layers to the story that just a brief reveal of why they did it would’ve brought the threads together nicely, no need to spoon-feed the reader.Graphic: Death, Murder, Animal death, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Mental illness, and Sexism
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 death, Murder, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Sexism, and Blood
Minor: Infidelity and Medical content
samvansam'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? No
5.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Murder, Grief, and Chronic illness
Minor: Sexism, Misogyny, Medical content, Gun violence, and Vomit
sneako's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence
theoldestbennetsister's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death and Death
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Sexism