Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

5 reviews

musicalpopcorn's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

A collection of strange and disconcerting stories, Cursed Bunny is unsettling, but addictive! 

This book was so strange, but I was so into it!! The first story opens with quite a concept so the reader is prepared for everything that comes after, but I will say that story would also probably turn off a lot of readers…it was something else.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

valjeanval's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

Well this is a weird and wonderful little collection which I'll be thinking about for a long time. It's definitely got more horror elements than I'm usually comfortable with, but I think it's a prime example of using genre to explore the way we function in society. "The Embodiment" in particular is going to stick with me, I feel. It's almost Kafka-esque in its surreality, and the translation, while pretty sparse, serves the subject really well. An awesome collection if you have both a strong heart and stomach.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Excrement, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

sauvageloup's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

3.75

I whistled through these very disturbing little stories. 

pros:
- they're definitely gripping, and the writing style is sparse but clear and evocative, with the descriptions being vivid.
- the stories felt self contained and satisfying overall, even as many ended in tragedy.
- the last book of short stories I read, i struggled to jump from one story to another, maybe because they were so different and by different people. this one wasnt like that at all, and i had no problem reading straight through, pretty much.
- i liked the variety in length and themes of the stories, from birth horror, to supernatural, to fantasy fairy tale and modern criticisms on feminism and capitalism. i think i mainly read very on the surface and didnt look hard at metaphors and such, a reread might help me see this more.
- I liked the sheer imagination though and how Chung makes you care for characters who often arent even given a name.

cons: 
- the first two stories especially, but a lot of them overall, were pretty horrible and graphic. they did their job in making you feel things! but it reminded me too much of just horrible nightmares and intrusive thoughts and I wouldnt read those two again.
- I also felt there was generally a lack of hope in the stories, but that's personal taste I guess.

overall, well written and gripping but too horror for me and dont think I'll seek out more of her work, but I might reread this in time. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

katewhite77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Not to read before bed

A very strange, scary but never the less thought provoking set of stories each with a moral behind them. 

Covering subjects such as beauty, pregnancy and child birth, consumerism, love, revenge, every action has a reaction and the meaning of life itself. 

My favourite story Home Sweet Home. A modern take on your classic haunted house. Some stories are purely fantastical in nature while others are slightly more realist. None of these are for kids. Proceed with caution. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Slavery, Suicide, and Kidnapping