Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Psie pazury by Thomas Savage

7 reviews

rachel1106's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A dark Western about two very different brothers, with plot details about characters and the enviornment around them, as well as the enviornment that they create, that keeps one interested, engaged, and full of tense questions of what will happen. All main characters are worthy of discussion. The writing is superb. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, and Classism

All is brief, there is mention of entrails and the resources of dead animals(hides, meat). You have to remember that this is a ranch. It's not a violent novel, but there are character thoughts of one thinking they're superior in the 1920s as a white man. Mild racism and sexism in those thoughts. Nothing too harsh, more so eye rolling. Author expresses these character flaws in a way that makes the reader aware that the character is the character, and it doesn't feel like the author is self imposing those thoughts into his character for the sake ofnecpressing himself, but telling a stoyr of the flaws to his character in the fictional world. It's not triggering. Suicide is apparent in this book, though. That's the most substantial element I would worry about when recommending. It's short, but unexpected, and the death is mentioned various times as it undoubtedly scars some other characters.

farmpaws's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

The heartbreak and dread of this story prowl around you for this entire book, staring out at you through Thomas Savage’s incredibly vivid descriptions. I’ve never smelt sagebrush, or been anywhere close to Montana, but I felt like I was on every page of this story. I could sit down at the table in the Burbank’s enormous house, and feel the silence crawl down my spine. Every inch of this was vividly alive, each character, especially Phil, felt so alive. It was stunning. 

This book is a product of its time politics wise, but otherwise, I have no complaints. I only wish I could have lingered longer. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Homophobia, Racism, Blood, and Antisemitism

This book starts with castrating a bull calf, and contains fairly detailed descriptions of butchering animals for food.

larseneiii's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

felofhe's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Excrement, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

arthur_ant18's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide and Toxic relationship

Minor: Blood and Antisemitism

joshhornbeck's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

FIRST THOUGHTS:
The characters are richly drawn and so much is given in the layered subtext of the novel. I love the way the film explores misogyny, deconstructs traditional masculine codes, and even looks at homosexual desire - and written in a time when that was rare to find in a Western. The way the novel jumps between point of view is also really compelling, giving us insights into characters other than the white menu at its center. The language and sentence structure throughout is a bit too convoluted for my tastes - phrasings and sentences are organized in ways that often get themselves List before they reach the end. But the characters themselves are richly drawn.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Self harm, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

saldre's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

The Power of the Dog is a hidden literary gem. I didn't know this book existed until I watched the movie on Netflix. It's a beautifully written, complex psychological drama about 2 brothers on a Montana ranch in the 1920s. It's a thought provoking look at good versus evil, toxic masculinity, repressed homosexuality, and alcoholism. Don't miss out on this book! Also, make sure to read the afterward written by Annie Proulx. In the afterward, the reader learns that the author Thomas Savage took characters & situations from his own life and included it in this book. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail