Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Largo pétalo de mar by Isabel Allende

10 reviews

mericherry's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

I usually love Allende’s work but this one missed the mark for me. It was very dry. Many character threads were dropped - perhaps as in real life as we lose touch with people, but not satisfying in a novel. I found many of the character traits to be inconsistent, especially toward the end as the main character reflects on his life - many reflections were counter to my own understanding of what I’d read (again, realistic perhaps to remember differently than at the moment of experience but a confusing way to read!). Overall lacking in the usual sparkle of Allende’s typical style. I did enjoy getting a thorough history lesson on the Spanish Civil War and of Chile for most of the 1900’s - I just wish the plot and characters had been more engaging too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Abortion

my_weird_bookish_heart's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

jinmichae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

This one didn't pull me in nearly as much as the others I've read by the author. It feels more like a biography than something with an overarching plot.

It mostly explores the full lives and loves of the main two characters and how they were affected by the Spanish Civil War, what was done in Chile on September 11, 1973, and other instances closer to their family. I enjoyed it--the writing was beautiful as always, the subject interesting and giving voice to parts of history I haven't encountered before--but because it was many narratives coming together, it didn't have as much focus as I prefer.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Deportation

Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Confinement, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, and Classism

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? No

4.0

This book waddles along the line between fiction and non-fiction. The pacing and gravity of events take on a distinctly non-fiction feel to them while the story is fiction though based on lives of actual people. As such I had a difficult time feeling engaged while reading.
This book still serves as an interesting view into what the Spanish Civil War was like even if it just felt like an excerpt in a history textbook for the majority of the time. 
Edoardo Ballerini does an excellent job narrating the work and at no point did his reading voice detract from the experience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, and War

Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cancer, Child death, and Gun violence

kelly_e's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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? No

4.25

Title: A Long Petal of the Sea
Author: Isabel Allende
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: May 21, 2019

T H R E E • W O R D S

Powerful • Beautiful • Profound

📖 S Y N O P S I S

In the late 1930s, civil war grips Spain. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is Roser, a pregnant young widow, who finds her life intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love. In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them desires.

Together with two thousand other refugees, Roser and Victor embark for Chile on the SS Winnipeg, a ship chartered by the poet Pablo Neruda: "the long petal of sea and wine and snow." As unlikely partners, the couple embraces exile as the rest of Europe erupts in world war. Starting over on a new continent, they face trial after trial, but they will also find joy as they patiently await the day when they might go home. Through it all, their hope of returning to Spain keeps them going. Destined to witness the battle between freedom and repression as it plays out across the world, Roser and Victor will find that home might have been closer than they thought all along.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Isabel Allende is an author whose books I've heard wonderful things about, yet have still never read. It made complete sense to include her on my 'Author Taste Test' challenge for 2023, especially since A Long Petal of the Sea already sat unread on my shelf. Allende embarks on the ambitious task of telling such a grand tale, and yet she does so with historical accuracy and poignant prose.

Spanning decades, continents, and the lives of many characters, this novel took me through the history of both Spain and Chile in the 20th century. With beautiful writing and impeccably crafted, Allende has weaved together love, war, family, and the search for belonging. I love historical fiction for many reasons, but mostly for gaining knowledge about past events I may know little about. This one definitely broaden my understanding and has encouraged me to seek out more diverse historical fiction, beyond WWI and WWII.

While there are many characters in this book, it is really Victor and Roser's story. Forced into an unconventional union they face many challenges yet remain hopeful. Their characters are so beautifully developed, where the reader is privy to their story layer upon layer and I was along for the heartbreaking ride.

This may have been my first book by this author, but it definitely won't be my last. I look forward to exploring her backlist, as well as seeing what future projects she writes. And again I must take a moment to acknowledge the stunning cover. The colours, the gold detailing, even the font - all of it is just gorgeous.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction lovers
• readers looking for diverse historical fiction
• bookclubs

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Pain is unavoidable, but suffering is optional."

"Our land only rewards those who work hard in it."

"Poetry is what stays in your head and isn’t forgotten." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual content, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Terminal illness

mysterymom40's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Dementia, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Colonisation, and Classism

the_clueless_tourist's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Torture, and Xenophobia

claudia_bow's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Blood, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, and Death of parent

kierscrivener's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

 I really liked this story, it takes a little bit to follow the treads and years but as we continue it makes a beautiful love story that tells the story of twentieth century Chile.
 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Sexism, and Sexual content

sarah984's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

The history that this book was based on was fascinating, but I think I would have preferred to read a straight-up history book to this work of historical fiction. The characters are all very vaguely drawn and have extremely predictable stories. The reader is always told how the characters feel instead of it being demonstrated in the text, and somehow despite all of the characters’ hardships everything seems to always work out neatly for them so the stakes felt weirdly low.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Dementia, and Religious bigotry