Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Chouette by Claire Oshetsky

33 reviews

madeleinem13's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• 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? Yes

2.0

I really liked the ending. This book felt really long at some points and took a while to develop. It was all about motherhood which I can’t relate to, so I think that’s why it didn’t connect with me. The owl was also a metaphor for a child with a disability, which I thought was an interesting take. I wish I liked this book more but it was just so slow because there was no plot for 3/4 of it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism

emilyexley's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

beatboxboyfriend's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Excrement, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexism, and Abortion

readersreadingnook's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Blood, Grief, and Abortion

lsmith36's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

“It’s a wonder that any woman ever agrees to be a mother, when the fruits of motherhood are inevitably conflict and remorse, to be followed by death and disembowelment.”

I was horrified and sad and angry the entire way through. When I finished it I had to release the breath I couldn't breathe. Spectacular. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Pregnancy

cviii's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy

mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

cocoreads02's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Unreliable character, story written in a parable, owl baby 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

niaaaaa's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical trauma, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infidelity, Excrement, Vomit, Dementia, Abortion, and Pregnancy

growplantsreadbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark sad

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

Not at all what I expected. The synopsis makes it seem like a charming motherhood story with elements of magical realism. I was hooked by the gorgeous prose, but stayed to unravel the disturbingly sad allegory at the core of the story. Tiny is a reluctant mother desperate for support while trying to get others to accept and love her disabled child, Chouette & the world around her will not stop trying to change, fix, cure, or kill Chouette. The only downside to this story is that it becomes what it is trying to criticize when its focus is on Tiny and not Chouette. Tiny eventually becomes a fierce advocate for Choutte, but since Chouette has no voice it is hard to say if, in the end, Tiny was the mother she needed. Poor Chouette. The author chooses to use magical realism to make Chouette's disability animalistic and savage. I can see this book being very triggering for anyone who is disabled and has been made to feel like they are a monster by society. I'll be thinking about the author's intention when writing this for a long time after putting it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Infidelity, Blood, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Abortion

This book is an allegory for having a disabled child that could be extremely triggering for people with disabilities.