Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Condenada by Chuck Palahniuk

4 reviews

lay_kone's review against another edition

dark funny reflective fast-paced

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Injury/Injury detail

readerette's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

This book couldn't seem to decide where it was going. The characters were mildly interesting but Madi is mostly just petty, racist, and not an accurate portrayal of a 13-year-old. Her friends were more interesting than her but didn't get a lot of focus. The twist

, that she's a character Satan made up,

doesn't fit in the context of the story. I guess it sets up the sequel, but it is unnecessary because she was already on a path to do what the twist sets up, aka

challenge Satan, since she decided to amass armies and change the landscape of Hell and what her armies do with their eternities

.

The story only really stands out for its dramatization and mocking of greenwashing, teenage relationships, Hollywood, and wealth. It's hard for me to recommend because while it's one of the more approachable of Palahniuk's books, it also lacks substance. In the audiobook narrated by Sophie Amoss, there are a few mispronunciations and possible editing mistakes. 

If I squint, the story may be written as is because

Satan did in fact make it up, isn't a great writer, and wants us to find Madi annoying and excessively self-demeaning so that we cheer for him in the final battle

. The problem there is that the second book shouldn't be its own book then and we shouldn't have spent so long on this one, and who is going to

want Satan to win

, even in a world built by Palahniuk? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, and Abortion

hschlecht's review against another edition

dark funny

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

imtonysturtle's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Excrement, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Eating disorder, Terminal illness, Torture, Antisemitism, Mass/school shootings, and Religious bigotry