Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

6 reviews

hayoho's review

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Rape, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, and Trafficking

Moderate: Murder

fauxpunk's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I will never be ok again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Genocide

blnktdnstrs's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

This book is full of humanity, compassion, wonder, and tragedy, and it took my breath away. The last third of the book seemed lacking compared to the rest, but it was still stunning and I would gladly read it again. Now I need to find the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Slavery, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Body horror

cocacolor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I can't tell whether this book both falls into a well-known sci-fi trap of evil alien species and is incredibly hostile toward

Spoiler

victims of sexual violence

or one of the most deeply empathetic novels I've ever read, so I knocked off half a star. This is absolutely not going to be for everyone. Whether this book becomes an all-time favorite is going to depend on whether you're willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt and assume compassion.

ETA. Its sequel, CHILDREN OF GOD, makes clearer the author & narrative's ethical positions and I believe this book is coming from a place of compassion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Slavery, Medical content, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Cannibalism, War, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Child death, and Self harm

Minor: Pregnancy

conqueringsquid's review

challenging dark sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Cannibalism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Rape, Blood, Chronic illness, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

skupdawg426's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

This book was so hard to read, and yet left me with a sense of hope - as dark as it is, it is a celebration of humanity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, and Vomit

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Drug use, Violence, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts