Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

저주토끼 by Bora Chung

27 reviews

cottagecorearsonist_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicide, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

hazardpossum's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Some of the warnings may have less but i dont remember how much is of what so i put it all on the most graphic. The way she describes things and reveals elements is chilling. Kept me horrified yet intriguied i couldn’t stop. The stories were all perfectly long enough to get across what it was without overstaying it’s welcome. Each of them very unique and making me feel lots of different things. I only bought it bc i saw it in store and read the first page which was just ‘haha speaking toilet thing’ and thought it would be funny. But i’m glad it was so much more than that. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

musicalpopcorn's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

A collection of strange and disconcerting stories, Cursed Bunny is unsettling, but addictive! 

This book was so strange, but I was so into it!! The first story opens with quite a concept so the reader is prepared for everything that comes after, but I will say that story would also probably turn off a lot of readers…it was something else.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

caitlin_rhind's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Mental illness, Violence, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

The translation from Korean to English is a bit off at times. However, that does not dim the bizarre beauty of this collection. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Gaslighting

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide, Vomit, and Stalking

Be aware that there is characters slowly dying, hunger, starvation, c-sections, blood clots, mob violence, financial struggles, mentions of Nazism, and destruction of cities and families.

akj_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

"Parents who destroy their children's lives, who suck the life out of their children's futures, not only for the sake of maintaining their own illusions but also to zealously expand them into the lives of their children - such parents can almost be understood from the perspective of obsession. Following the words 'Be grateful I raised you' is the implied clause 'instead of killing you or leaving you for dead.' They probably mean it, too." ("Reunion")
 
Story Ratings:
1. "The Head" 5/5 stars⭐️
 2. "The Embodiment" 5/5 stars⭐️
 3. "Cursed Bunny" 5/5 stars⭐️
 4. "The Frozen Finger" 3/5 stars⭐️
 5. "Snare" 4/5 stars⭐️
 6. "Goodbye, My Love" 4/5 stars⭐️
 7. "Scars" 5/5 stars⭐️
 8. "Home Sweet Home" 5/5 stars⭐️
 9. "Ruler of the Winds and Sands" 5/5 stars⭐️
 10. "Reunion" 5/5 stars⭐️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Sexual assault

niamphoone's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, and Pregnancy

sauvageloup's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I whistled through these very disturbing little stories. 

pros:
- they're definitely gripping, and the writing style is sparse but clear and evocative, with the descriptions being vivid.
- the stories felt self contained and satisfying overall, even as many ended in tragedy.
- the last book of short stories I read, i struggled to jump from one story to another, maybe because they were so different and by different people. this one wasnt like that at all, and i had no problem reading straight through, pretty much.
- i liked the variety in length and themes of the stories, from birth horror, to supernatural, to fantasy fairy tale and modern criticisms on feminism and capitalism. i think i mainly read very on the surface and didnt look hard at metaphors and such, a reread might help me see this more.
- I liked the sheer imagination though and how Chung makes you care for characters who often arent even given a name.

cons: 
- the first two stories especially, but a lot of them overall, were pretty horrible and graphic. they did their job in making you feel things! but it reminded me too much of just horrible nightmares and intrusive thoughts and I wouldnt read those two again.
- I also felt there was generally a lack of hope in the stories, but that's personal taste I guess.

overall, well written and gripping but too horror for me and dont think I'll seek out more of her work, but I might reread this in time. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

sneakysophster's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

Weird, violent, gross, fairy-tale-esque, existential representations of the patriarchy, relationships with parents, capitalism, and greed. One of my favorite short story collections probably ever. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

rlhreads's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

A hard to read boot at times - definitely one of the most messed up books I’ve ever read 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail