Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed: Stories by Mariana Enríquez

14 reviews

morriganivy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.75

I'm really conflicted about this book. On one hand it has some really spooky short stories that are interesting and well put together, but on the other hand it has a lot of short stories that rely on being edgy. 

There are a lot of uses of slurs in this book that don't seem to be used for any reason other than to be shocking and dark. It feels at times like the author couldn't figure out how to make her stories harrowing so decided to use the cheap tatic of using slurs to add some edge to it. Which I would say is the same issue with how she approaches poverty and sexual assult, its only there to be shocking. 

I think it's a big shame because it also has some beautifully crafted short stories such as Angelita Unearthed and The Well. These stories are better because it doesn't rely on shock value and being offensive, they are simply creepy as hell. It's ashame most of the stories weren't able to do this. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Sexism, and Sexual assault

avahasstrongopinions's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Transphobia, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

nicnevin's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Short stories with a sinister edge, Enriquez writes of a vivid, dark modern world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

cliffhangerbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

 

This 12 short sarcastic and creepy stories have every possible trigger warning you can imagine, but I found them absolutely fantastic. I can’t make up my mind if I enjoyed Angelita or the one about the woman who is aroused by cardiac sounds the most. 

 

I love how Enriquez takes you right into her tales and allows you to feel immersed in the worlds that her characters inhabit. The thing about growing up I’m Buenos Aires is that Enriquez horror has an aftertaste of truthfulness. Gender violence is a recurring theme for the author...and honestly I don’t see how it couldn’t! Sexism is pervasive in Argentina and deadly. 

 

So horror and fiction in her tales are profoundly Argentinian: brutal, irreverent and casual, cause violence against women is sadly casual. But in a way, I love hearing this brutality from her. Enriquez reclaims, owns and plays with the absurdity of growing up in one of the most sordid times in the country’s history and makes a triumphant set of horror stories. To me Enriquez and her contemporaries (like Selva Almada or Cabezon Cámara) represent this resilient and triumphant group of writers that simply owns it. All due respect to mid century Argentinian literature, but to me they are my reading suggestions for anyone who asks me for good books by Argentinian writers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Cannibalism