Reviews tagging 'Torture'

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

51 reviews

catnapping's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder

Moderate: Terminal illness and War

Minor: Sexual assault

ottercorg's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

I will begin by saying that were it not for the frequent change in POV keeping my attention, I would not have finished this book. It took me, without exaggeration, 400 pages to finally "get into it." I also kept going because I'd heard such amazing things, and I wondered when they'd arrive.

I feel that the writing style is good, I think the characters are well developed, and the story is moving and real. But...I just didn't like it very much. Maybe if I'd read it without hearing the hype, I wouldn't be rating it so low, but it's hard not to be disappointed.

Getting it off my TBR after it sat there for so long feels good, and trying more historical fiction feels good, I just didn't have a very good time in the process.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism

perfectcupoftea's review

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

miller8d's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I didn’t dislike reading it— I enjoyed the character development and world-building, but the fact that it was all out of order and time-jumpy was a complete and horrible mess and was extremely frustrating to try and keep track of what was going on at any given moment. Also I HATE knowing the end/climax of a book at the beginning, so that ruined it too.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Deportation

nanditha14's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful informative inspiring sad 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Torture, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Genocide, and Sexual assault

rhibeetle17's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

The prose is spectacular, so moving and the horrors of WW2 are a looming sinister presence that is almost off the page but terrifying in its intensity. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Torture, and War

rachel101's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

hahamama's review against another edition

adventurous sad slow-paced

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Violence, and War

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Rape

violence, point-blank shootings, bombings, torture, rape, starvation, bullying.

michellebelle4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

shaleen64's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? No

4.25

This book is beautifully written with two characters at its centre. Both lovable in their own way, both forced towards different goals but ultimately brought together by a sense of doing what is right.

The book makes you view the Second World War in a different light without becoming a history text book. There’s heartbreak, anger, horror and despair but hope and love throughout.

If you loved the Book Thief, or anything similar, this should be your next read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Rape, Sexism, Slavery, and Torture