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berkeleybear's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The whole story was very cinematic, in a way that was really easy to follow and had good cliffhangers to keep me reading.
A few annoyances:
- Some pacing issues
- Some dialogue was a bit too corny to be believable, both when cracking jokes or taking about science
- Major plot points are rather dully revealed
- (Personal gripe) author clearly has a view on theology that’s kind of fucked up
Thinking more on this:
Graphic: Rape, Torture, and Violence
cattails'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: Death, Rape, Torture, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Sexual violence, and Trafficking
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: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
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: Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Trafficking, Murder, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, 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, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, 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: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
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: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Slavery
brookiebridge's review
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Torture, and Pregnancy
The book builds up to the reveal of why the main character survived and what happened to him.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, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, and Murder