Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

저주토끼 by Bora Chung

43 reviews

juffnstuff's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Vomit, and Murder

Minor: Animal death

clavishorti's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.0

I can’t deny that my first encounter with this book came through the buzz from countless voices repeatedly mentioning its title. They insisted it was a unique read, something to experience at least once in a lifetime. Intrigued, I decided to plunge into Bora Chung’s Cursed Bunny. 

 

Cursed Bunny is an audacious exploration that defies conventional genre boundaries and highlights the brilliance of this Korean author. Bora Chung skillfully intertwines elements of magical realism, horror, and science fiction, tackling themes of patriarchy and social issues in an extraordinarily bold way. Her approach is fearless, revealing even the smallest horrors without hesitation. Consequently, readers often find themselves pausing to catch their breath or taking time to fully digest the profound narratives. 

 

This anthology features ten intricately woven stories, each layered with complexity that might leave readers pondering their deeper meanings. As such, multiple readings are essential to unravel the rich tapestry of messages embedded within. What’s particularly fascinating is that each reader can interpret these stories through their own lens, which, in my view, is one of the book’s greatest strengths, prompting critical thought and deeper reflection. 

 

Next, I’d like to offer a glimpse into a few of the stories within Cursed Bunny. If you’re wary of spoilers, feel free to skip this part. 

 

In the first short story titled “The Head”, I found myself deeply moved and empathetic toward the main character, a woman burdened with overwhelming emotional weight. The narrative begins with her discovery of a ‘head’ that continues to haunt her. When she seeks help from those close to her, they merely suggest she forget about the head as long as it doesn’t disturb her. However, this head seems to serve as a metaphor for the emotional burdens and loneliness she experiences.

 

The appearance of the head coincides with significant moments in her life: as she steps into adulthood, begins her married life, when her child is born, and during the solitude of her old age. Each manifestation of the head marks a moment when she feels most vulnerable and isolated.

 

I perceive that the moment the head ultimately takes over her life is when she can no longer bear the weight of her loneliness. She becomes trapped in a profound cycle of solitude, represented by the head. However, this is merely my personal interpretation. I would love to hear other perspectives on this story if anyone has them.

 

 

The second short story, titled “The Embodiment”, also places a special emphasis on the female experience. Through a narrative that explores various aspects such as menstruation, contraception, pregnancy, aspirations, marriage, and even miscarriage, the author seems intent on conveying a profound message. Each of these elements is not merely a detail of life but a representation of the complexities and challenges women face throughout their lives.

 

In this story, it appears that the author aims to depict the intricacies of women’s lives. Menstruation, pregnancy, the use of contraceptives, and various societal expectations become burdens they must bear. Reflecting on how women navigate these biological processes—from menstruation to pregnancy—and the necessity of using contraception to manage their lives feels incredibly harsh and unjust.

 

Notably, the author embeds this social critique in sharp satire. The notion that taking too many contraceptive pills could lead to pregnancy is a brilliant twist. It underscores the irony and absurdity of the pressures women face regarding their own bodies. Through this satire, the author effectively critiques a society that often overlooks the burdens women endure, making the story not only engaging but also deeply reflective.

 

 

Meanwhile, the short stories “Cursed Bunny” and “Scars” focus more on the theme of revenge. Both narratives delve deeply into how revenge is a never-ending cycle that only brings suffering. The author illustrates that while revenge may provide fleeting satisfaction, it ultimately hurts the perpetrator and creates an unending cycle of hatred.

 

 

On the other hand, the stories “Snare” and “Ruler of the Winds and Sands” emphasize the theme of human greed. In these stories, the author clearly shows how greed can destroy a person’s life. Characters ensnared by their own avarice ultimately meet their downfall due to unchecked ambition, imparting the lesson that greed will consume us from within.

 

 

The author also introduces a tense horror element in “The Frozen Finger”. This story is filled with a chilling atmosphere and haunting sensations, adding thematic variety to the collection. Additionally, “Home Sweet Home” presents the story of a lonely woman who experiences betrayal, depicting profound feelings of isolation and disappointment.

 

 

The stories “Goodbye, My Love” and “Reunion” intertwine themes of loneliness and solitude. The author skillfully explores how these characters grapple with the shackles of their isolation. Loneliness becomes a strong thread running through these narratives, providing a deep emotional resonance for readers.

I had the pleasure of reading Cursed Bunny in its English translation by Anton Hur. From start to finish, the narrative flowed seamlessly, and I encountered no significant difficulties in grasping the stories. Anton Hur’s translation is nothing short of masterful; he meticulously preserves the nuances and intensity of Bora Chung’s original prose. His skillful translation ensures that the unique voice and unsettling atmosphere of each story resonate deeply with readers. 

 

Overall, the short stories in this collection emphasize themes related to women and complex social issues. The author skillfully captures various aspects of life, from revenge to loneliness and the unchecked greed of humanity. Each story encourages readers to reflect on the social and emotional realities faced by the characters, making this book both thought-provoking and captivating. For anyone seeking a bold and unique narrative, Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung is an excellent choice. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest and Suicide

Minor: Rape, Vomit, and War

almostqualified's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Excrement

Moderate: Animal death, Torture, and Pregnancy

Minor: Ableism, Incest, Sexual assault, and Vomit

naa_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Incest, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Car accident, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, and War

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

Good story collection, originally in Korean. The stories vary wildly from grotesque and gore-filled horror to slow stories of creeping horror. Mostly it seems like a theme this book generally runs with is survival at any cost, and what the consequences are when that comes at te expense of another person. 

As it is horror, definitely checking the CW is something people should do before jumping in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Suicide and Vomit

Minor: Misogyny and Excrement

_fallinglight_'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, 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. 

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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.

juniper_reads_things's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

Well dang. 
This book is like a fresh mix of horror short stories and modern fairy tales. I liked this. It’s grotesquely traumatizing. 
I’m going to list the table of contents and list my individual ratings there.
1). The Head. 
Nicname: Toilet Baby.
 1 star rating, 9/10 for traumatizing. 
It was gross, I hated it. I really love the author’s writing style though. This was one of the tales that felt like a modern fairy tale, because something weird was happening, the woman told her family about it and they didn’t think she was insane. 
2). The Embodiment. 
Nicname: blood clot birth control. 
3 star rating, 1000/10 for traumatizing. 
Woman takes 6 months of birth control, finds herself pregnant because she took birth control…wrong?  This is a perfect story to describe what it’s like to be a woman. You’re trying your best, but it’s not working and somehow you’re single handedly ruining everything around you. 
3). Cursed Bunny.
Nicname: none
3 stars, 3/10 trauma. 
 I didn’t have a made up title for this one, it was pretty memorable, if not super remarkable/traumatic.  This one was a little predictable and wasn’t what I would expect from the title story in a book of traumatizing stories. 
4). The Frozen Finger. 
Nicname: swamp crash. 
10/10 stars, 0/10 for traumatizing. 
This is my perfect horror story. Didn’t see where it was going, dramatic reveal, scary times for me. This one was probably my favorite. 
5). Snare
Nicname: animal/child abuse for gold 
4 stars, 10/10 traumatized. 
This was another one that felt like a modern fairy tale for me, in terms of animal abuse and child abuse. It’s there, it’s awful, but the author doesn’t dwell on it. Feels like a brothers grim tale. 
6). Goodbye, my Love
Nicname: i love robots
2 stars, 5/10 traumatic. 
Traumatic ending, but I was bored during this story the most. 
7). Scars
Nicname: i escaped a dragon for this??
5 stars, 7/10 trauma. This story is great, felt like another fairy tale. I loved it. 
8). Home Sweet Home
Nicname: ghost building
4 stars, 3/10 traumatic. 
Another great horror story, no notes, super creepy. 
9). Ruler of the Winds and Sands 
Nicname: the princess and the heavy lifting or all that for fucking nothing. 
5 stars, 2/10 traumatic. 
Another classic fairy tale vibe, i loved it, no notes. 
10). Reunion. 
Nicname: oh shit
3 stars, 4/10 traumatic 
This story is traumatic in that it beautifully describes generational trauma, childhood trauma ans how adults cope with their own childhood trauma. This one felt personal for me, having survived some shit myself, and it felt comforting and heartbreaking all at the same time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Incest, Misogyny, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

bxnnny's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

2.0

what a strange little book. some of these stories had some interesting concepts that i wish could be expanded upon while others were just silly and weird. the writing style often felt very juvenile which also sometimes made it a little hard to take seriously. a lot of it felt like some kid writing an r/nosleep story, trying too hard to make it weird and unsettling/scary. still, some of them had potential. i just don't think this was really for me though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, and Child abuse

Moderate: Violence and Vomit

Minor: Incest

the first short story is very heavily involved with fecal matter. all stories deal with dark subject matter. there is lots of death, abuse, and animal cruelty.

cider_lover's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This collection of stories was simply too weird for me. I like to think that I enjoy things that are strange and off-putting but many of these stories just grossed me out with no (that I could tell) purpose. The suffering of the characters felt like it was pointless, which I know in some cases works to get a message across, but it didn't quite work because of the lack of connection with the characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Minor: Murder