lithographic's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
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"The Society of Jesus, John noted, was willing to commit to interstellar travel on less than two weeks notice, but did not rush into things like new laundry equipment."
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"He calmed himself with thoughts that would soon shatter his soul. He said to himself: I am in God's hands. Whatever happens to me now is God's will."
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The elevator pitch "Jesuits in space on a first contact mission" is certainly singular enough to grab someone's attention. However I think this book truly shines as an exploration of one remarkable man's intense and painful perception of his relationship with God, with his body, with his own trauma. If God loves him, if God exists, if he loves and trusts God, why then this darkest night of the soul?
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"Not one sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it."
"But the sparrow still falls."
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
hayoho's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Rape, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, and Trafficking
Moderate: Murder
arayo's review
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death, Medical trauma, Rape, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Cannibalism
Minor: Pregnancy and Infertility
julesloyola's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Violence, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Slavery
Minor: Antisemitism, Car accident, and Child abuse
caintooth's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Grief, Sexual violence, Slavery, Medical content, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Confinement and Self harm
jenniferbbookdragon's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
Minor: Bullying, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Body horror, Confinement, and Physical abuse
brookiebridge's review
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Rape, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Gore, Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Slavery, Cannibalism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Torture
The book builds up to the reveal of why the main character survived and what happened to him.Spoiler
He watched as alien children were killed and eaten, and his friends died trying to stand up for them. He was then forced to also eat the alien children to survive, him and his friend underwent medical disfigurement of their hands and his friend died as a result. He was then sold to a brothel where he was raped repeatedly, and accidentally killed a child who had come to try to help him, thinking the child was a rapist at first. He is repeatedly confined to small spaces and isolated. Half of the story is him being investigated by his superiors, who don’t know he was raped but believe he committed murder and had illicit sex, since he is a priest. He has severe ptsd but the investigation forces him to confront his past.vespasiana's review
- 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
Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical content, Death, Grief, Medical trauma, Body horror, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture, Confinement, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Trafficking and Child death
While all the above things do happen in the book, both on and off screen, the bulk of the plot is about the “before” and “after”. Very little of the extreme or moderate stuff is shown for long, but is referenced very frequently in the “after” sections as something the main character is dealing from the fallout of.nouveau's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, and Trafficking
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Pregnancy
ladymickbeth's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Child death, Medical content, and Violence
Minor: Vomit
This is a beautifully written book with a unique and engaging narrative voice and characters that are flawed, but likeable or understandable. I would have given this a higher rating, but there are a number of micro aggressions (primarily against Emilio, who is Latino) and problematic comments.