Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Les Piliers de la Terre by Ken Follett

23 reviews

ochelissa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

sophiaoquias's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Physical abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Violence, War, and Emotional abuse

cultbyproxy's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• 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

3.0

“Build a beautiful cathedral for me.”

It is not every day that I pick up a book of this volume, but the title immediately caught my eye. Though deathly slow, akin to the ennui of a long dreadful winter, I found it rather fascinating. 

The trials and tribulations of a monastery prior, an outlawed woman and a widowed carpenter do not sound like the makings of an interesting plot, but set in the 1100s, we see the church and its pillars rise, fall, and rise again within these pages. 

I must say, after the first 800 pages I began skimming, simply skipping to the dialogue to try bulldoze through what remained but as I reached the sixth, and final, part of the book I became immediately invested again. For all its vulgarity, and violence, and frustration, it is a well written book and I cannot take that away from Follett. I feel rather optimistic with the idea of finishing the trilogy (something I would’ve done regardless, out of pure spite) however I pray that it does not become more graphic. Going into a book starting in 1123 I knew what to expect, historically, however I can’t help but be left with a bad taste in my mouth from all the brutality forced upon the main female character, and the almost lack of regard for her suffering. Though resilient, powerful and graceful to the end, as happy as i was to see Lady Aliena get her justice, I’m of the option that she should’ve never had to seek it to begin with. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexism, War, Death of parent, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, and Death

Moderate: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Blood, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity

siniandi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I understand that this is one of Follett's most beloved works. It is a densely packed work spanning several decades; the plot is nicely interwoven with historical elements and makes one reflect on power structures and injustices that in some form persist to this day. I honestly loved most of the characters and the way the flaws of even the "good" characters reflect in the story. Follett makes sure to create a strong female protagonist, which I love. She seems believable and strong and wields power in ways realistic for the era.

The description of women and sex scenes are a quite male gaze-y though (as is usually the case in Follett's work) and the ending comes a little abrupt and too neatly, as if he really wanted to finish after 1000 pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, and Gore

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Bullying, War, Confinement, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Classism, and Cursing

susanknights's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, War, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Child death, and Child abuse

maddyisreading23's review against another edition

4.5

!!! notice about the contents: rape, violence, animal abuse, domestic violence, sexism, bullying.

I decided to start the new year with a not so light reading and I don’t regret it.. I can’t describe the plot well because there are so many things going on, but I think I can say that it revolves around the construction of a cathedral in medieval England...but it is also a story of love, violence, revenge, politics, wars and battles, betrayal, hope, loss and other things.

Honestly I really liked this book, so I’ll start with the things I liked the most.
1. Each character was developed quite deeply and each chapter or section was narrated from the perspective of a different character. 
2. I really liked that although there are many different stories of many different people who have many different relationships with each other, each story comes to an "end" and has an explanation.
3. Despite the 1000 pages, the book was quite easy to read (well, most sometimes) because something always happened... you go from descriptive parts to very dynamic situations and dialogues. 
4. The length of the book allowed me to empathize with each character and it is something that I really enjoyed... Follet left nothing to chance.

In general I found it a very pleasant read.

Now let’s start with the things I didn’t like:
<SPOILER ALERT> 
1. I didn’t like (and I didn’t even really understand) the scene where Tom, on the same day that his wife died (giving birth to his child, by the way) dreams of having sex with an angel who, apparently, is Ellen, a woman with whom he had a 15 min conversation the same day. And I found it even stranger that she said things like, "I’ve loved you since I’ve seen you," like... you literally had ONE conversation with him. I think this part could have been written in a more normal and less ridiculous way... I think the author needed to find a fast way to get to Ellen and Toms love story.
2. Description of rape: scenes of rape weren't descripted that well...it was all from the rapist's perspective, which was William most of times, and I think the author didn't give these events the importance they would have deserved. 
Some of you may be asking: but the story isn't about this, a scene of rape isn't so important for this plot, INSTEAD I think it's essential. 
Obviusly, the most "important" of this kind of scenes is when William rapes Aliena. The act of raping is decribed in such a fast and insignificant way and it doesn't give a f about the fact that the rape is only the point of the iceberg...I mean, we read about Aliena and Williams story before the abuse, but the scene is described in such a dry way...
Also, Aliena starts talking only after the abuse and I wouldn't mind if she had talked about the rape...but she doesn't, or better, the author doesn't. This isolates the rape part even more. 
<END OF SPOILERS>
3. I understand that all the plot revolves around the construction of a cathedral, but I think some descriptive parts could have been avoided, because sometimes it was difficult not to skip those descriptive parts. 
In point 3 of things I liked about this book I wrote that there was balance, and this comment is refering only to specific little parts that in a 1000 pages book can make a difference. 

To sum up, I would recommend this book, but it's violent and cruel some times and I think sensitive people should stay in alert especially if you are suscetible to rape/sexual abuse because I think sometimes it has been described in a disturbing way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Blood, Hate crime, Murder, Sexual violence, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, and War

Minor: Animal death

turtlebucket's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Amazing read (twice) but I cannot give a 5 with the gratuitous and constant violence and sexual assault of women and the overt ways all male characters describe women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, Miscarriage, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Xenophobia, Classism, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, War, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, and Rape

sapphirelain's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Blood, Infidelity, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Animal cruelty, Violence, War, Gore, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

melina_30's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Death, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Domestic abuse, and Grief

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

karingforbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

2.25

MISOGYNY CENTRAL. 
Look, it’s a treatise on cathedral architecture with some characters thrown in.  Think moby dick for cathedrals in medieval England and you’ve nailed it. Except moby dick wasn’t so heavy on the anti women front, which says something because it’s 100 years older than this book. I liked the setting, Jack, Aliena, Elizabeth, and sally. Martha got forgotten which is sad. Tom was oblivious but nice enough. I desperately hate William and alfred for *reasons* and the pacing is not there. It’s so slow in the first half then gets better at the end then slows down but speeds up simultaneously in the last hundred, which is not great. I did like the historical context in which it occurred (white ship, Henry ii) but thought there was just a bit too much close connection with real historical figures. Course that could be because by halfway through I was just angry at the book in general 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Murder, Antisemitism, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Abandonment, Violence, Sexism, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent