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
andthenweread's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Torture, and Vomit
brenna_kcw'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Trafficking, War, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Murder, Vomit, Sexual assault, Body horror, Torture, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Vomit, Blood, Death of parent, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Colonisation
The book includes a lot of descriptions of a character with intense and ongoing mental and physical illness including vomiting, body horror/medical consent stuff, which would be more difficult for some audiences. There is a VERY explicit although I wouldn’t say gratuitous description of rape. It centers the fear and horror of rape which is better than the often creepy sexualisation of rape, but it’s really awful to read so pls be aware, it’s within the last 2 chapters that any graphic description is made, the rest is vague.bethanyv's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, and Murder
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
mfrank's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
Moderate: Child death, Violence, Murder, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Slavery
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.tauboi'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
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual content, and Rape
neocookie'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
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts
kbbru's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Body horror and Torture